Secrets of the Blood
by Kanokirri
Summary: Hatred is only a relative term. It is to dislike, to not love. Murder is also a relative term. It does not mean to simply kill. One must have motive. One must have means. Something other than the desire to kill.
1. Prologue: Introduction To Insanity

4/12/09

Secrets of the Blood

A/N: Welcome to my latest story. I wrote it because I am in fact insane. I'm trying to prevent myself from going crazier. I've been thinking about this one for a while and I only just decided to put it into words. I dedicate this to all of the people I hate because it's their fault I'm so fucked up in the head. There will be a series of OCs that are based on actual people but the names of those people will be changed so I don't get sued. Thank you, have a nice day.

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Prologue: Introduction to Insanity

Hatred is only a relative term. It is to dislike, to not love. To have strong feelings of abhorrence. The more we hate the more we are hated, thus we hate even more. And then there is the fact that it is much easier to hate than to do anything else. For example, if something is too difficult, we hate it. If someone does not give us what we want, we hate them. The longer you stay somewhere, the more you hate that place. The longer we are forced to stay somewhere, the more we begin to loathe it.

And just the same as those places, the people in them are just as bad. The longer we are forced to remain around them, the more we loathe them. The only difference is that you can kill a person.

Murder is also a relative term. It does not mean to simply kill. One must have motive. One must have means. There must be something behind it other than the desire to kill. Some kind of passion. Perhaps one who murders has lost too much to care. Maybe they are an outsider. Outcast. Or maybe they're just crazy. Or even that someone was raised to kill. In any case, all of these can lead to or be borne of hatred. Anger is, after all, a type of passion. Anger feeds the hate. Hate feeds the pain. Bringing pain brings fear. And what does fear bring?

Chaos. But more so respect. The more you are feared the more respect you are able to gain. People know not to mess with you, you could hurt them. You could kill. The wise stay away from one who kills. The foolish die at their feet. Or get trampled by a chaotic crowd. Either way they die.

But what of places then? You cannot kill a place. And no matter how much you try to run away, you find that you cannot. You always end up back there somehow. A home is really a prison and we are shackled to our beds. A bedroom is a cell with iron bars. People are just slaves to those around them, but only because they trap themselves inside their own heads. Maybe. Maybe not. But there are some people who are not so foolish.

Personally, I believe that the sanest people in the worlds are those considered insane. They are shunned because they live in reality and not in their own worlds. That's why people think they're crazy. After all, who other than a crazy person would think outside the proverbial box. Most of the world's greatest heroes were called insane at one point or another. But I also believe that villains are much more valuable than heroes. They can bring pain because they know it all too well. Does that make me evil? No one is truly evil just as no one is truly good. Good and evil are simply ideals and you can't have one without the other. There is no room for grey in a world of absolute colors. Black and white that is. Most people have yet to figure that out. But that is the paradox of life: A person who tries to do nothing but good ultimately fails and kills everyone in the end. Because true villains are hard to come by, they find someone they hate, call them evil and either kill them or die trying.

But there is another side. In a world where killers kill other killers, who is the villain? The answer is neither. But neither is there a hero. There is simply death and survival. The joke is on both, there is no real victor either. One can take no pride in killing one's own kind. Murder is too easy for most anyway, especially for those trained to kill. Assassins write their reputations in the blood of their victims. The victims, you ask? They are the real criminals.

Oh but how can I be so cruel?

It's easy, I only give people what they deserve. I might not do exactly what people have done to me, but I would never lower myself to such a level. On the same side, I have never killed anyone who hasn't deserved it. None of them has been innocent, most of them were killers in their own right. I just happened to have a better knife.

Yes, I am an assassin. But one in a world full of them. I have only one person who could be competition and that would be the greatest of all assassins. Artemis Entreri, the master of the silent blade of death himself. But I am not dumb enough to move against him.

It amuses me though that I am just as feared as he is and hardly anyone even knows my real name.

I'll tell you one thing though, I like it that way.

Now then, I believe you must at least have some idea of who I am. Though this is only a page in a diary of one person's twisted mind I shall not introduce myself in the event that someone actually reading this.

Farewell my darlings.


	2. Chapter 1: Watchdogs

4/14/09

A/N: If you don't like any kind of insanity, violence or foul language this story is not for you. I shall say right now that I have been in a VERY bad mood lately and this is the result of me avoiding any conflict with people. This is not a part of my other stories but it will include the same cast as before just in a different script. It's another AU combining Faerûn and the real world.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters you don't already know as mine. For those who have not read my other stories, characters that are not mine include: Drizzt Do'Urden, Artemis Entreri, Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel created by R.A. Salvatore. I might throw in Dwahvel at some point but I do not intend to use any other characters than mine and those listed. Including the mention of certain people in the last chapter.

Chapter One: Watchdogs

She was lying on her couch in a bit of a daze. She was done with a lot of things now. Why bother when everything got taken away? And who was the one taking everything now? Everyone. But mostly her grandmother. If the woman was even her grandmother.

She knew she wasn't like other people. She tried not to think about it, after all there were plenty of different people everywhere. Some could even be considered to be like her. Seeing and sensing strange things was only a small part of her differences though. So was liking girls and hating any and all forms of religion. And so what if she wore guy's clothes or that any girl clothes she wore were suggestive?

Right now the strange dreams she was having were her biggest problem. Some fell into the category of nightmares to tell the truth and from what a few people who actually saw she needed some kind of help said she was talking in her sleep too. Two people had told her that... The only two people she let herself keep in relative closeness. One out of two was actually considered a friend. He hadn't been around for a while.

Loud footsteps thundered up the stairs. She pushed herself into a sitting position so she wouldn't be accused of not doing anything at all. It was only noon and she had already cleaned most of the house and cooked two four course meals. No one on the outside would have dreamed of the abuse she was put through, they all thought she was some kind of delinquent whose 'poor' grandmother was forced to take care of because her parents left her. But at least they thought to leave the grandmother the house. The house had magical wards to keep the 'delinquent' girl inside at all times unless accompanied by her grandmother. Which was hardly ever.

The irony of it, was that the house was actually hers. She didn't really know anything about her parents; no one had ever told her a thing. All she knew was that she was a seventeen year old girl with an insane, greedy grandmother. One who forced religion on her and took everything away all while pretending to be in a hopeless state when in reality, everything that had been 'left to her' wasn't hers in the first place. She knew that she liked both men and women, though she still hated most men (with good reason) and that she was stuck in a house full of people bitching at her for every little thing and she had nowhere to go. On top of all that she was having strange dreams which were leading her to question her own sanity and also her entire life. She highly doubted that she was seventeen or that she was even human. She was sure that humans didn't crave blood like she sometimes did, not normal ones anyway. She wasn't dead so that left out the possibility of vampire.

The footsteps stopped at her door and it banged open. The fat form that belonged perfectly with the idea of a greedy person entered. "Kitana!" her grandmother barked. "Why aren't you working?"

Kitana did not bother to say anything. Why waste breath explaining to someone who wont listen?

"I work so hard to keep you well and cared for, and this is how you repay me? By sitting on your lazy ass all day? I let you into my house, let you live here. The least you could do is a few chores!" Kitana just tuned out most of the rant. It was the same every day. Why bother correcting the stupid bitch, it would just land her with more trouble than she needed. She already had enough to deal with.

"I've put up with your antics long enough!" That drew Kitana's attention from the floor. 'Antics huh?' she thought. "I will no longer tolerate your rudeness or laziness. You need to be controlled! I'm going to hire guards for you, you will listen to them and you will learn respect!" Her grandmother stormed out of the room still ranting.

Kitana fell back onto her bed. This was just another problem on a long list. 'Great.' she thought. 'Just what I need, watchdogs.' It was the same day after day. Naturally, all the hard work she did her grandmother claimed as her own. But why guards now? Was it because she had scared off another one of the suitors her grandmother picked out for her? The fact that she still wore guy clothes no matter what her grandmother did? Maybe it was that last rant about religion, but that was months ago. Maybe her grandmother knew something that she didn't. Something about her.

Kitana didn't doubt it. Why else would there be _magical_ wards on her bedroom and the rest of the house? The only time she was allowed out of her room was to clean and cook. In actuality, her grandmother was just looking for something to bitch about. She knew damn well that she herself had sealed Kitana in her room after lunch was made and before she had eaten. And now watchdogs. "I'll just scare them away like I scare those stupid guys she sends here," Kitana said to herself. If she recalled correctly the last one had been a paladin. _That_ had been a fun day.

* * *

The tavern was full and no one bothered to notice the strange group of people that had entered this night.

Two drow and a human sat at one of the more secluded tables the place offered. A third drow joined them a moment later holding some kind of parchment in his hand. Jarlaxle sat down and presented it to the others. "It's a request for highly trained guards. A noblewoman needs help to control an unruly adolescent and discipline them. She is willing to pay a high price for the job."

"Must be one bad kid," Entreri remarked dryly.

"You think otherwise my friend?" the mercenary leader asked, surprised that the assassin would bother with such a statement.

"How many nobles have we come across that need to have their heirs or servants 'controlled'? It all turns out to be the same story, the noble hates them for some reason and wants to make them look bad so they have an excuse to get rid of them," Entreri explained in the same dry tone.

It was true enough. Nobles often used such tactics to be rid of what they thought to be problems. "It could be a real problem my friend. The least we could do is look into it. And there is still a chance to profit from such a venture." Jarlaxle threw Entreri one of his patented grins and the assassin just glared at him in return. He only shrugged when the mercenary said that they should go in the morning to see. The other two had no objections, no matter how much they tried Jarlaxle would manage to pull them in somehow.

They retired to their rooms early. There was no point in trying to stay awake after three long days of near sleepless travel. They slept in pairs, the innkeeper only had two rooms left for the night but said that if any were available in the morning he would inform them if they planned to stay. Jarlaxle cheerfully explained to the man that they only meant to stay the night. The man in turn barely held in a sigh of relief.

Morning came quicker than they would have liked, but the companions did not complain. The night in proper beds had done them good. They left for the noble's house after a small breakfast as intended. The house itself was easy to find: It was the biggest house in the small town. The mansion was a full four stories and looked like it had about twenty or so rooms. They had no way to tell how much land it covered. The tallest part was in the middle, the rest of the house branched out into two different wings and looked like they met in the back forming a courtyard somewhere. All in all, it looked quite dreary. The dull grey of the paint seemed to be all but lost in the darkness of the stormy sky. If it were not for the wrought iron balconies the house could be mistaken as a trick of the light.

Inside proved to be a bit more grand. It was definitely cleaner. A well polished silver and crystal chandelier sported many lit candles and gave the room a more comforting glow. They could smell food being cooked somewhere not far from them in the house. Even though they had just eaten their stomachs growled in response to the pleasant smells. Whoever was cooking must be really good at it.

They were greeted by a very large noble woman who led them into the dining room and offered them some of the food being prepared in the kitchen. The companions gratefully accepted her offer and she began to explain the problem. "You see gentlemen, I have no idea what to do. My granddaughter has become quite the problem. She is lazy, rude, and keeps scaring off any of the young men that come here to court her. She refuses to do anything I tell her and often goes into these most uncontrollable rages. I fear for my life. She must be disciplined but I do not have the physical power to do it. I also have reason to believe that she steals things as well. I found a wonderful suit of black leather armor in her room not too long ago, I know I did not get it for her and she has no money of her own. I have no idea where she got it. I don't know what to do," she said again. "Oh but I can see that you are all terribly hungry. Kitana!" she called and a young woman came out carrying a large tray of food. She gracefully set it down on the table and proceeded to give them each a plateful. She vanished back into the kitchen for a moment and brought back another tray containing glasses and freshly squeezed fruit juice.

The companions ate gratefully and the young women stayed hidden in the kitchen until she was called again by the noblewoman. "Gentlemen, this is my granddaughter Kitana," she explained to them. "She is actually doing what she is supposed to at the moment but I do believe it is an effort to make you think you are not needed." She looked scornfully at the young woman whose face was perfectly blank. The companions however did not miss the look of loathing in her eyes. Each of them felt as if there was something very wrong about the whole situation.

"Would you excuse us for a moment Madame, we would like to discuss things between ourselves. May we use the other room?" Jarlaxle asked politely.

"Of course, of course. Take as long as you need gentlemen," the noblewoman said as she nodded away. Each of the companions stood up and bowed at her graciousness then left the room.

"There is something wrong here," Jarlaxle said to the others when they were out of earshot. "I do not think that young woman is as bad as she has been portrayed." The others all agreed. "I think we should stay here and discover what is really going on," Jarlaxle continued. Again the others agreed.

Together they walked back into the dining room and accepted the job. The noblewoman was absolutely delighted. She bade them all to finish their meal while they discussed the price for their services. She agreed to pay them each a generous amount of one thousand gold pieces each for watching Kitana. They would start as soon as the meal was over and the noblewoman went about explaining their job in further detail.

Through it all Kitana watched scathing. What was that stupid bitch up to? These guards would not be scared away easily either. She could tell by looking that they were seasoned adventurers. They would be ready for any fight she could put up. Kitana watched them closely as they ate, for some reason there was something familiar about them though she could not place it. There was a small vibration in her fingertips that seemed to be attracting her to them. Did she know them? There was no way to know right now. There was something else about the human one as well, something that felt like the same thing inside herself. Was he what he seemed? Kitana marked him as the most dangerous even though his three companions were drow. She would watch them all closely to see if she could learn anything but she knew she would mainly focus on the human.

Kitana stood up straight, breakfast was over now and she had to clear the table. She took the opportunity to get a closer look at the companions and choosing to clear the human's plate first. She managed to lock his gaze for a few seconds as she took his plate, something sparked inside her but she didn't know what it was. Somehow she knew without a doubt that she knew him. There was no such recognition with the others. She disappeared back into the kitchen once again after all the plates were picked up and began cleaning the dishes. Her grandmother led the watchdogs into the kitchen after her then left them alone. Kitana paid them no mind as she went about her work. They didn't bother her at all, they just stood and watched.

After the dishes were cleaned she went about cleaning the rest of the kitchen, she had been in the middle of a lot of cooking when they had shown up. She had to make lunch soon and now she had to cook for four more people. Thankfully they made it a point to stay out of her way. Likewise, they said nothing when her stomach growled in protest as she prepared the next meal, she wondered vaguely if they would say anything if she took small bits of food she was making. Finally she just decided to risk it, she had not eaten since yesterday morning. And in the same manner she was doing now. Kitana figured she had to find a way to scarf some food for later. Again, the watchdogs didn't say a word.

By the time lunch came around things were going quickly. The companions were not hungry after the large breakfast and after the noblewoman was given her food they and the young woman were dismissed. Kitana was allowed to wait a while to clear the dishes and sent to her room. She idly noticed her grandmother handing one of the drow the ward key to her bedroom. She led them upstairs and entered the room first, the drow with the key came last and sealed them in. Kitana continued to ignore them as she had been and went to lie down for a while, most likely until her grandmother called her downstairs.


	3. Chapter 2: The Hatred In Her Eyes

5/25/09

A/N: There will be more of a plot soon. I would just like to point out that this is only slightly related to any of my current stories (Why, Fate of Awakening Love, Waking Destiny and Nothing To Do). The most prominent relation is the cast I'm choosing to use. In the future I could write another story that has more relation to this one but for now I have no idea.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt, Entreri, Jarlaxle or Kimmuriel. They belong to R.A. Salvatore. My characters so far are Kitana and her grandmother.

Chapter Two: The Hatred In Her Eyes

The companions stared at each other trying to decide if they should try to talk to Kitana. She did not seem all that interested in them, and didn't offer so much as a glance at them since they were first introduced. That coupled with the fact that she seemed fully intent on lying on her couch. The girl didn't appear to get much rest; her eyes were sunken and ringed with dark circles. To Entreri it looked like his earlier feelings about the job were correct, this girl was made to be a slave in her own home.

"What are we going to do with her?" he asked when he was sure she was sleeping. "It is obvious that she is not the real problem here, but I still have the feeling that she is not exactly innocent either. Are we still going to go with our plan from earlier?" Entreri looked to Drizzt specifically, hoping to find an ally in the drow ranger. The issue was decided for them not even five seconds later.

"Stop talking about me," an irate voice sounded from the direction of the couch. And the no longer sleeping Kitana. The companions turned to face her.

"Do forgive us, my dear. We did not mean to offend you," Jarlaxle said to her eloquently. He knew he had to persuade her to stay calm, he had already decided that she was a lot like Entreri. The mercenary leader remained calm himself despite her firm glare. He cleared his throat and continued, "Perhaps you could answer a few questions for us?"

"And why should I do that exactly?" she replied dryly.

Jarlaxle felt his confidence beginning to waver but did not show it. It was strange that she had so quickly put him on edge. He looked briefly to the others for support, they offered only small shrugs in return. He cleared his throat again. "We would like to help you, my dear," he answered her and almost immediately regretted doing so, he could have sworn he saw steam coming out of her ears. Her face was becoming darkly flushed with anger.

"Help me?" she spat not bothering to hide her sarcasm or fury. "I know why you're here. You're here because that stupid bitch hired you to look after me and make sure I don't 'do anything to harm anyone' or try to escape. Never mind that she has _magical wards _on my room. She hired you to make me look even worse than she already has." Her words at this point had become more of a harsh growl, her glare even more intense.

Jarlaxle backed off a few feet. He knew she would not attack them but it still seemed too dangerous to be so close to her while she was so infuriated. "Why would she do such a thing?" he asked Kitana calmly after a moment. His tone told her clearly that he did not think she was lying.

Kitana took the cue to calm herself down. "I have no idea," she replied after a few minutes of relaxed breathing. She was half tempted to shake her head in dismay. These guys were not what she was expecting for watchdogs. Kitana shifted her gaze to the floor trying to regain her stand, she was not used to being spoken to like this. Normally any dialogue directed at her consisted mainly of screaming and insults or both at the same time. While she had been insulted by the drow, he had effectively apologized to her by listening and speaking to her like a real person. And she was being rude.

She sat back down on the couch wondering what the hell these guys were up to. "Why did you even take the job?" she asked Jarlaxle slowly. The mercenary leader just shrugged, giving her all the answer she needed. They had come for the money, that was it. "What are your names anyway?" It didn't seem completely right for her to not know their names considering how nicely they were treating her. She wanted to mull over her initial rudeness. Apparently this worked because the drow seemed overly delighted by her question, the others had relaxed a bit too. The drow she was talking to identified himself as Jarlaxle and introduced the others in the order they stood behind him. The two other drow he named as Drizzt Do'Urden and Kimmuriel Oblodra. The man was called Artemis Entreri. The name sparked something in her for a moment but it faded just as quickly as it came. They would have continued speaking, but her grandmother was once again screaming at her from the bottom of the stairs- demanding that she get down there and clean up the dishes from her previous meal and start cooking the next. Kitana looked in the direction of the stairs disdainfully, then asked Jarlaxle to let her out of the room so she wouldn't get in anymore trouble.

* * *

"I told you to clean this up an hour ago!" her grandmother screamed. Which of course was not the truth because an hour ago she had told Kitana to go upstairs to her room and be quiet. So much for work relief...

The companions said nothing as the grandmother went about her scolding and ranting. They simply observed the scene as though she was doing the right thing and they were learning the proper way to discipline the girl. As much as they would have liked to turn away or intervene as she went on about how Kitana never did anything for her and that she was ungrateful, they did not. Doing so would have put them in an extremely unfavorable position and very well might take any chances they had of actually helping the girl out. Eventually the woman silenced herself and went to drink her now cold tea in the dining room. Kitana followed silently offering a raised eyebrow to them as if to say "I told you so." She quickly busied herself in the kitchen preparing her grandmother's meal offering to make something for them if they were hungry.

The companions quickly found out that dinner was an entirely different affair then their breakfast that morning. Kitana was obligated by her grandmother to dine at the table after she had set everything out and had served everyone else. She was not to speak at all unless spoken to, otherwise she should just sit there and be quiet. However, it appeared that she was not allowed to return any comments made to or about her by her grandmother who spilled them out like a water hose. The four of them sat through this silently too, they could do nothing else. Kitana herself seemed to be in an even more dour mood than she was before, nevertheless she took the continuing stream of insults stoically. They were dismissed after only an hour.

Kitana's grandmother ordered her to go prepare her bath and her bed. As before the young woman did so without complaint. The task was completed in Kitana's usual efficient manner and once again she was sent upstairs to her room. This would be the last time until morning, provided that she was not called down again to do the dishes from the day; those could be taken care of in the morning.

Kitana paid no mind to the companions as her bedroom was once again sealed. Instead she went over to her desk and rummaged through a few things looking for her pack of cigarettes. She found it under one of her many notebooks, took one out and proceeded to look for her book of matches. Those were under a notebook too, she almost let herself give a small jump for joy when she pulled them out of her desk drawer. Still paying no attention to the companions she sat down on the couch and lit her cigarette. Finally unable to stand the silence any longer Jarlaxle decided to strike up another conversation with her.

"Where did you get those?" he asked casually.

"A friend," she replied before taking another long drag. "Why, you want some?"

Jarlaxle's head fell slowly to the side in contemplation. He had never smoked an actual cigarette before, he had smoked from pipes though, it couldn't be that different. The mercenary leader shrugged nonchalantly and she handed it over after asking him if he knew how to smoke it. Jarlaxle had been fairly certain that he knew how to and upon trying it was sorely disappointed. He inhaled only a small amount before he was coughing up a lung. Kitana smiled slightly as she took her cigarette back. The others did well to hide their amusement.

"Why are you even smoking those? They can kill you, you know," Entreri said off-handedly.

Kitana's smile spread wider across her face. "If it kills me then its good for me. Gets me out of here." Convoluted as the logic was, Entreri did not dispute it. Instead he gave a rare, real smile. Half-assed as it was it lit up his features in a way the others had not seen before. He even went as far as to let out a small chuckle. Entreri didn't know why but Kitana reminded him of a younger version of himself, and even now he still held most of the same qualities.

To their surprise, Kitana smiled back. "You don't really care about that, do you?"

Entreri shook his head. "I think more people should smoke and the ones that do should smoke more. Sort out the fools so they die faster that way."

She gave him a salute. "And the world would be a better place." She cocked her head to the side and gestured out the window with the hand that held her half gone cigarette. "So what's it like out there today?" she asked.

"It doesn't look any different from any other town we've been through. We've never been here before so I couldn't tell you if there was anything odd going on." Entreri replied. Kitana pretended to think a moment.

"Neither could I."

"You don't really get out much do you?" Drizzt asked. He figured that he would at least contribute something, that and he was truly curious.

Her grin became more of a grimace. "Nope. How could you tell?" she responded sarcastically. He looked away embarrassed, clearly she had not been joking about being trapped here. He remembered what she had said about magical wards and the key her grandmother had given Jarlaxle. Drizzt apologized quickly.

"Don't worry about it," Kitana said shaking her head. "I wasn't kidding about anything I said before. I haven't been out of here in a long time. If I'm lucky, she'll let me out and drag me around with her to get things she wants. That and she wants to keep up public appearances."

Entreri rose an eyebrow but Jarlaxle was the next to speak. "How long have you been here exactly?" he asked.

"I'm not sure how long I've been in this _house_ but the last time she let me out was about three months ago. But if you guys wouldn't mind, I'd like to go to bed now." She put her cigarette out and put the ashtray back on the side table. "I have to get up in a few hours and I really don't feel like being screamed at more than usual first thing in the morning."

She lay back down and turned herself away from them. Kitana managed to fall back to sleep in only a few minutes. The four companions didn't bother to sleep for the rest of the night, they just sat up contemplating the strange girl that slept on the couch before them wondering what in the Nine Hells was going on here.


	4. Chapter 3: Surprise, surprise

5/25/09

A/N: Is anyone overly weirded out yet? If you are please send me some sort of message telling me your feelings. I would absolutely love to put your two cents into my story somehow. But for now, I hope you enjoy this mess of insanity as we continue.

Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own Drizzt and Co. they belong to R.A. Salvatore. Anyone you do not recognize is most likely mine. If you get confused look at my other stories. I also own all of my spelling errors.

Warning: Excessive use of foul language (In case you haven't already noticed), violent ideas, violence etc.

Okay, I think that covers it. Enjoy.

Chapter Three: Surprise, surprise...

_It was hot and there was sand everywhere. She was in the desert again, walking towards the mud colored buildings slowly rising above the tawny dunes. As always when she passed by, tiny, dark skinned children tried to grasp her worn cloak begging for food or money. As always, she did not stop to regard them. There was nothing she could do even though she wanted to help them. That was the way it was here and she thought it better not to tease them. Anything she gave them would be taken away from them in short order by someone else._

_And besides, she had a job to do._

_Her target was located on the other side of the small shanty town of the larger city. This one was lucky to be afforded a fine view of the sea. The ramshackle hut that served as his home was empty when she stepped in. He was not at home. She chose to wait for him as she did not have anything to do. She didn't really feel like going out and hunting him down. She didn't need the attention._

_Her patience was rewarded a few hours later when the man stepped in: a low level thief working between guilds. He heaved a bag of gold onto the flimsy table which almost collapsed under its weight. She made a note of that quickly but did not step out from her hiding place. The man was obviously drunk, the way he swayed about the room gave that away easily. There would hardly be a hint of satisfaction from this job. His smell was sickening. Killing him would be doing him a favor._

_He finally turned his back to her hiding place and she silently stepped out. The man was so lost in his drunken state that he did not even hear her dagger whistling through the air before it struck through his back. He fell to the ground oblivious that he had even been killed. She wiped the dagger clean on his trousers and left as silently as she had come. No one would ever know better._

* * *

Kitana woke after only two hours of sleep. She had set her alarm clock for six in the morning and so it was going off. She pushed the button silencing it completely as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Without saying a word, she went to her private bathroom for a quick shower. She was back out within ten minutes. The young woman told the four companions to turn around so she could get dressed and they instantly complied. She took some fresh clothes out of her drawer and put them on then, letting them know that she was dressed proceeded to go about re-braiding her long blonde hair.

"Do you normally sleep in your clothes?" Jarlaxle asked in the same casual tone he used a few hours before.

"No. Normally I sleep in my underwear," She replied still somewhat sleepily. "But since you guys are here I don't need to further justify her way of thinking. You guys want some coffee?"

Entreri yawned and stretched luxuriously. "Sounds good."

Kitana turned to Jarlaxle. "Let me out and I'll make some. I want to get started on my housework too."

The five went downstairs to the kitchen as Kitana explained that her grandmother was still sleeping and would not be up for a few hours. After she woke she would bathe and go about selecting an ensemble for the day and painting her face. That process would take about an hour. After she was ready for the day she would scream down the stairs to Kitana to get her breakfast ready.

"I like to get up early so I can have at least a small part of the day when I'm not getting yelled at," she confessed. "I don't get a lot of sleep so I take this time to get some rest."

"What did you mean when you said that you don't want to justify her way of thinking?" Drizzt asked as politely as he could.

Kitana stared into the hot dark liquid in her cup. "She says I'm a whore and she believes it. That's why she got rid of the last guard I had. She told everyone he was sleeping with me so she fired him. She was just jealous that he wasn't looking at her." She took a sip of her coffee and continued, "We never did anything. He tried to once and I put a knife to his throat. After that he was terrified of me. She likes to invite a lot of guys here too, trying to see if I'll do anything. She calls them suitors. She tells them to come here and have fun with me and then she says that I'm the one calling them over and they go along with it. So I scare them all away." Again Kitana remembered the last one and it brought a small smile to her face.

"This happens frequently?" the drow ranger continued.

"The last one was a paladin about a month ago. I managed to make him run out of the house screaming, she hasn't had one here since."

Entreri looked at her with an amused expression. "You scared away a paladin?" She giggled into her coffee.

"Yeah," she said putting the cup down and wiping her mouth off. "He came up into my room but I knew he was coming beforehand so when he came in I was expecting him. I started out making growling noises and talking about drinking blood. He told me that I was possessed and I said I wasn't. Then he called me a demon which made me laugh. He took out one of those crosses and held it in my face, I grabbed it and told him that I was going to eat his soul. He was surprised when it didn't burn me. I chucked it at him while he was running down the entry path. That was a fun day."

"I'll bet it was," Entreri snorted. "I hate paladins. What else have you done to these 'suitors'? he asked surprising the others. They had not been expecting him to continue. Then again, she was talking about fun ways to scare people which usually put the assassin in a good mood. And the last story was pretty funny.

Kitana thought for a minute. There were a lot of stories she could tell them. In the last four months her grandmother had called over thirty guys. "Well, there was this one time she called over the oldest son from the family across the street," she said finally settling on one. "It was about three months ago. I was in the kitchen at the time and I didn't find out about him beforehand. He came in here and the first thing he did was grab my ass. I turned around to slap him but he stepped back. Then I remembered that there was a bottle of cooking oil next to me I took the top off and threatened him with it, I told him it was acid. He backed up but didn't leave so I grabbed a bottle of hot sauce and told him it was acid too and it would melt his face off with one drop. I threw the cooking oil on him and he ran out of the kitchen screaming to his mother that I was trying to kill him."

"You scare away all of the men that come here?" Jarlaxle inquired curiously.

"Mostly. I was planning to scare you guys too but it didn't work."

"Why didn't it work?" the mercenary continued almost teasingly.

"Because I changed my mind about you guys," she stated simply. "If you were like any of the others you would have been all over me the minute we were in my room. I can tell you like women a lot but you didn't try anything."

"How were you planning to scare us away?"

"I don't know," she mused. "I figured that I would see how you were first and then make a plan. I could still try if you want." She turned to Entreri who still looked fairly amused. "Do you think I could scare you?"

He shook his head. "No"

Kitana shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, well then, I have to do the dishes and get cooking. You guys want anything?"

* * *

As predicted her grandmother was screaming at her from the top of the stairs at ten in the morning. Kitana asked Jarlaxle to kindly inform her that her breakfast was already on the table and she was getting the juice ready right now. His charm effectively silenced her ranting and she did not say a word to Kitana as her juice was delivered with her morning tea. The young woman did however catch a small self directed statement from her grandmother as she left the room.

"It's about time she did something right."

Kitana ignored this statement as she did all the others. There was no point in saying anything back, that would only cause more trouble. There would be enough yelling later on. She went back to the kitchen where the others were still sitting around the small round table. They had not asked her for much at all and she was happy for that. A small breakfast was all that they had wanted and it was the least she could do.

She explained to them that she would spend the better part of the next four hours in the kitchen. Cleaning and cooking were the biggest chores she had. If the day went on like normal she would leave the kitchen in three hours to give her grandmother lunch then spend the hour after that resuming what she was doing prier. After the fourth hour, she would leave the kitchen and go clean up random messes around the house. This could take anywhere from one to two hours depending on who was there. Then, it was back to the kitchen to make dinner. Dinner usually took about an hour to prepare, sometimes more because different things took different amounts of time to make and her grandmother decided the meal. Dinner was also a 'family affair', as they had seen the other night she was supposed to sit there and not say anything. Most of the time her grandmother had five to fifteen guests at the table. The event lasted another hour.

After dinner at about seven or eight Kitana would once again in the kitchen to clean up if she hadn't already and put away any left overs. Her grandmother didn't need to know about that though. As it was she was an extremely wasteful person. Kitana never knew how many people would be at the table on a given night, so she put away left overs and mixed them into another night's meal. Left overs also made convenient snacks and, if redone the right way she could get an entirely new meal to serve. She made it a point to tell them that they could help themselves to anything at any time just as long as they told her.

When Jarlaxle asked if their breakfast that morning had been made with left overs she told him no, it had been completely fresh. Their meals yesterday had been made with left overs from about two days ago. She told them not to worry about it she took great care in storing things so no one would get poisoned or something like that. If she had even the slightest inkling that something was not safe to eat, she threw it out. And very few things were in the refrigerator for more than a week.

"So most of the day will be in the kitchen," Entreri summarized.

"Pretty much," Kitana replied. "I have to. Every day she wants at least three four course meals. Breakfast and lunch aren't that bad, those are supposed to be small courses anyway if it isn't for a formal event. Dinner is always formal here unless it's just her and me, which wasn't often. She likes to make a show of herself. One time she called over thirty people without telling me beforehand, I got stuck in here for almost four hours doing nothing but cooking. Cleaning up after was a nightmare. After that I started spying on her to see if she would have anyone over and how many people."

"She doesn't know you spy on her?" Entreri asked, not about to be surprised with the answer.

"No. That stupid bitch couldn't tell a rock from a scone," Kitana laughed when she realized her play on words. "She doesn't pay any attention to me unless she feels like complaining about something. Or if she's the center of attention and she wants me to look worse."

"And how does she do that?" Jarlaxle stepped in.

"She'll go on about my clothes and stuff like that. Or how I always wear my hair the same way. And then the whole 'she never does anything and I think my life is in danger with her here' bit.

"What's wrong with what you're wearing?" Drizzt asked.

"I'm wearing mens' clothes can't you tell?" Kitana asked sarcastically.

"I don't see a problem." the ranger replied confused. "So what if they're mens' clothes plenty of women wear them."

Kitana didn't disagree. "That's what I said. Unfortunately she likes to go on about me not being a 'proper lady'. All of her friends agree that I should be much more feminine so it's always a favorite topic of conversation." She turned to Kimmuriel for the first time that day, "How come you never say anything?" Her question clearly caught him off guard, much to everyone else's amusement.

"I don't usually like to unless it's something important to me," he replied when the shock wore off. He had been absorbed in something else entirely when she had turned to him. Had she known what he was attempting to do? He shook the notion off, how could she possibly?

Kitana accepted his answer easily enough. She knew he wasn't the whole truth but she wasn't about to tell them everything about herself so she let it slip to be fair. She had sensed something strange in the moment of his silence. It felt like he was tying to do something to her almost. But why would he want to do anything to her? She decided to switch the focus of heir conversation. Time for Kimmuriel to talk about himself. "So what's your story?" she asked catching him off guard again.

"What do you mean?" he returned with a raised eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes. "You know, where'd you come from, what do you do now. Things like that. Oh! I know, how come you're so weird?"

"_You_ are calling _me_ weird? You are the one that's weird."

"Yes I am, but that's besides the point. Everyone else has talked about themselves now it's your turn. You were doing something weird to me a minute ago and I want to know about it." She watched with more than a little satisfaction that Kimmuriel's ebony skin paled lightly. If he wasn't a drow it would have been far more obvious.

The psionicist took a deep breath and prepared to give himself away. "I've been sensing strange energies around you and I wanted to see what they were."

"You can sense those things too?" her question surprised him.

"I can," he replied. "If you are really that bent on knowing why I am so 'weird' it is because I am a psionicist. I was trying to look inside your mind because I received a strange vision from you this morning."

"What vision?" It was her turn to pale.

"I saw a woman in a desert on a mission to kill someone." Anything else he might have said was abruptly cut off as she slapped him across the face.

"Stay out of my head," she demanded coldly. She refused to speak to any of the companions for the rest of the day.

* * *

_She was in the same place as before. The city in the desert loomed before her in all of its mud colored splendor. Most of the buildings only looked poor though. Plain wrappings hiding the riches within. Guild houses. She was heading to one right now. She had to collect her payment for her last job._

_She entered the grandly decorated room casually. The finery meant nothing at all to her and she honestly believed people would be better off without it. The guild master would beg to differ though. He liked showing off his status. He thought it would intimidate people._

_It didn't intimidate her. She ignored it completely._

_Gold passed through their hands without incident. She left as casually as she came._

_In the alleyway behind the guild house a foolish thief tried to jump her. Her dagger flashed through the air before him and cut a thin smile across his throat. She looked down at him scornfully, a member of the guild she had just been employed by. She left his body on the front steps with a deep red lip print burnt onto one cheek. It was her warning to the guild master. He had been foolish to try to cross her._

_She walked a little way down the next street to a tavern she knew well. The door opened for her just as a smallish, dark haired man was leaving. She knew who he was and stepped out of his way, he didn't bother to look back at her._

Kitana woke up sweating heavily. This was not the first strange dream she had but it had been different than the others. Never before had one been a direct continuation of a previous one. And that man...

She knew that man. But who was he? She looked around her room and saw that three out of four watchdogs were sleeping. Only Entreri was awake. He regarded her curiously, not sure if she was all right. She waved him off and lit a cigarette. She looked over to him again when she felt his piercing gaze upon her. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "I just had a weird dream."

"Does it have anything to do with earlier?" he asked carefully. She nodded and he continued. "Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head. No.


	5. Chapter 4: Her Friend Is A What?

6/7/09

A/N: This story will most likely not turn out to be as long as my other ones. It's not going to be all that short either so prepare for about twenty chapters. I actually set up an outline for this one and I've gotten through a good chunk of it already. Also I would like to apologize for the random turn to Kimmuriel, I completely forgot about him for a little while if you couldn't tell. He's so quiet you would never know he's standing right next to Jarlaxle. And for Kitana's play on words, I wrote that without realizing what I typed so when I went back to read it I burst out laughing. I know it was a lame joke but it holds true for my own grandmother who owns a bakery.

Disclaimer: I do not under anything own Drizzt and Co. They belong to R.A. Salvatore. Everyone else is most likely mine unless you recognize them as otherwise. I also own my spelling errors for which I now have names. Please don't steal my spelling errors, I love them.

Warning: See warning from previous chapter. Excessive religion bashing. I'm apologizing now to anyone who is religious and could be offended. I'm not a total hater, I'm open minded about people doing their own thing but I have never had any good experiences with religion or religious people.

Chapter Four: Her friend is a what?

He watched her as she finished her cigarette and fell back to sleep. The look on her face when she had woken up had been disturbing to see. It had been wild and scared like an animal as it sees its hunter. It was not a normal look at all. Not for her. He had only known her for two days now and he knew that. She wasn't exactly what people would call normal either but who cared? He didn't. That look chilled him to the bone.

Entreri was tired. He had managed to get a couple of hours of sleep earlier but it hadn't really done anything. He was used to constantly moving around, not sitting idle for hours. The only time he did that was when he was waiting for a target. What he really wanted to do was walk around somewhere outside. A good stretch would wake him up. Everyone else was sleeping right now, he would have time to himself. He wanted to, but he didn't.

Instead, he crept silently to the sleeping Kitana. He felt the strange desire to be closer to her for some reason. He studied her face without touching her. She looked a lot different without her usual stone-faced demeanor. She smiled before, but to him it looked almost painful. Right now she looked peaceful, there was no hint of the terrified expression she wore only twenty minutes ago.

The assassin heard movement behind him and turned around. Jarlaxle and Drizzt were both watching him.

"We heard her wake up," the ranger explained to Entreri's questioning look. Entreri nodded and shifted his gaze to Jarlaxle.

"We heard you talking to her so we waited," he said simply.

* * *

_Burning under her skin. Laughter from somewhere near her. In front of her perhaps? She had no way of knowing._

_A laughing figure stepped out of the darkness around her. His long robe swirled around him and even as he paused in front of her it seemed to writhe around his body She knew him like she knew the man from her other dreams, but he was not the same person. This one was cold and full of hatred. He wanted her dead, that was easy enough to see. "I see my dear poison is enjoying you," he said to her as he smiled cruelly. "It is a pity you must die. We could have used you." He continued his laughing and others joined. Her body felt frozen, something was making its way through her veins and she had no way to stop it._

_She was going to die._

_

* * *

_

They all looked back to the sleeping girl when they heard her let out a small cry in her sleep. She was dreaming again. Her hands clawed at her pillow and her legs began to kick violently. She managed to kick the couch hard enough to throw herself to the floor. Entreri caught her enough so she didn't hit it too hard. She woke with the impact into his arms. Kitana's eyes widened when she saw him but she did not pull away.

Her eyes began to water and she let out a small whimper. Entreri unconsciously held her closer to his chest. Her hands clung to his nightshirt as she began to cry harder. He looked over to the others for some form of assurance that he was doing things right. Jarlaxle gave him a reassuring nod. He sat her up to put her head on his shoulder. She gripped him like a helpless child, Entreri doubted he would be able to get her off until she was ready to move. He did not even consider making her get off of him though.

Her sobs lasted only for a short time. Kitana rested one hand on the junction of his neck while the other still held the side of his shirt. After a few more minutes she was completely still. "What time is it?" she asked without lifting her head. Entreri looked over to the small clock glowing on the side table.

"It's two," he whispered softly. "Do you want to go downstairs and get something?" She nodded into his chest and he easily lifted her. Jarlaxle quickly stepped ahead of him as he carried her bridal style. He sat down in a chair in the kitchen with her still in her arms, her iron grip would not be detached right now. Drizzt found some tea and made it for her. Kitana stared blankly at the steaming cup on the table.

Jarlaxle put his hands gently on her face. "What happened?" he asked delicately. She pulled her face away from him shaking his hands off.

"She doesn't want to talk," Entreri whispered to the drow and to Kitana he said, "Drink your tea. You don't have to go back upstairs if you don't want to."

* * *

It was three days later when the events of that night seemed to vanish. She had gotten up as normal, but still looked like she was on the edge of her caution. The four companions paid it no mind though, they were happy to see her emotionally back on her feet. They still had yet to find out what the problem had been, they supposed that it had been another dream. From what Entreri had described, she could have even been having a nightmare. But her face was calm right now. She wasn't smiling but her eyes held the look of soft amusement they had contained before.

Kitana to herself was feeling about ninety percent normal. If anyone asked where the other ten percent was, she would have said that she had no idea and something to the effect of 'it ran away.' She was indeed amused, she liked seeing the others trying to figure out her sudden change in behavior. Part of the reason was that she had not had any of the dreams at all in the last three days. Kitana was still trying to figure out the last one but hadn't had the chance to talk to anyone about it, until now that is. Bringing her to the second reason she was in a better mood. She had a friend coming over in a few days.

Unfortunately, there were other things in store for her today. She had found out through her spying that her grandmother was going to have a priest come to the house for some reason she had yet to find. She was preparing for this as well. With any luck it was just a counseling call and wouldn't involve her being at the meeting. She never knew what her grandmother was going to try to pull with the priest. The stories ranged from quiet talks between him and her grandmother to attempted conversion lectures with Kitana to full blown attempted exorcism. (That only happened once and failed miserably finally convincing the priest that she was not possessed.)

"Kitana!" Her grandmother screamed from the bottom of the stairs as usual. The young woman looked to Jarlaxle who got up and unsealed the door for her. Kitana stepped gracefully down the stairs to face the stupid bitch, currently glowering at her already. "There you are! Father Macon is coming here today, you will be on your best behavior. If you try to pull anything like last time there will be consequences. Do you understand?" Kitana raised an eyebrow but offered no other indication that she had been listening. Her grandmother must have taken the gesture of one of affirmation because she hauled off in the direction of her sitting room. The young woman returned to her room shaking her head. The others immediately noticed her annoyed look and asked her what her grandmother had been screaming about now.

"Just wait and see," she replied. "This is going to be an interesting day."

Sure enough come noon, the priest was at the door and Kitana let him in. Her grandmother had already scolded her for "not being properly presentable" and was still in her sitting room sipping on her exotic tea. She escorted the priest there without saying a word to him. Her watchdogs followed them from behind trying to figure out what was going on. She was about to turn to leave the room when her grandmother stopped her.

"No. You are going to stay," she said as she poured the priest a cup of tea. "Sit down." To the others she said, "Do join us gentlemen."

Kitana sat down as ordered. She was not even fully into the chair when the priest started on her.

"Now Kitana, I know what happened last time with my acolyte but I really think you should listen. You should not have made him believe that you were possessed of a demon. I do apologize to you for his... unfortunate reaction. He is still very young after all. But it is very important for you to hear the will of the gods. You cannot simply stay here and deny them all of your life. You need this."

Her smile could have been either charming or threatening, it was too difficult to tell. A small twitch of her eye gave her feelings away to her watchdogs but the priest and the grandmother failed to notice. "Forgive me for being rude," she replied evenly. "But are wasting your time trying to convert me. I have my own ways just as you have yours and my mind will not be changed. I would have thought you would have seen that when I scared away your acolyte."

"You admit you did that on purpose?"

"I did."

"Why would you do such a thing," The priest gawked. "You could have brought on the fury of the gods!"

"I care nothing for the gods. How many times must I tell you?" Kitana was still too iron set for the priest to deal with. This meeting turned out to be the shortest one she ever had to attend. Her grandmother sent her away for her blasphemy. Kitana delightedly returned to her room and to the book she had been reading before she had been forced to go down stairs.

"What was that down there?" Drizzt inquired from opposite her sitting place.

"What was what?" she replied without looking up.

"That! With the priest!"

"What about it?"

Drizzt shook his head exasperated. "Nevermind. Why was he trying to convert you?"

"Because all he really wants to do is pound my grandmother from behind but he wont because I completely refuse religion. He doesn't want to be associated with someone who is housing someone else who hates religion. I wouldn't doubt that he wants to try something on me too. That man is disgusting."

"Someone would do your grandmother?" Entreri cringed.

Kitana shared his grimace. "I know. It's a scary thought." She cleared her throat and continued. "But to answer your first question, that was the usual monthly occurrence of that stupid bitch trying to force her religion on me. I hate everything that tries to control me, religion is the on the top of my list. I have my own beliefs and if they continue to refuse to see that, then I will continue with my 'blasphemous' ways."

"It is a pity you feel that way. You'll never learn will you?" an angry voice said from behind Drizzt. Her grandmother stepped into the room uncoiling a new torture device. The whip in her hand glowed with a strange energy that felt familiar to Kitana. "Since ordinary whips do not seem to hurt you, Father Macon suggested I try this one instead. I told you there would be consequences!" Her hand gripped the handle of the whip tightly as she cracked it through the air. The weapon went right around the drow ranger and found its target in Kitana. It tore through her pale flesh with frightening power, the energy surrounding it bit at her trying to devour something in her inner being.

The others watched in horror as the beating continued. Kitana's blood was flying everywhere across the room. It pooled at her feet as she tried to stand. They knew that she was not about to back down and sell out her beliefs for the sake of ending the beating. She would fight until her grandmother tired. Kitana bared her teeth trying to mask her pain. She did not scream once. Her grandmother soon grew tired of the strong defiance and gave up. She had struck Kitana sixty-seven times and the girl had not broke. Even now she was still on her feet though she was struggling to stand. Once she left the room Kitana fell to her bedroom floor, she failed when she tried to get back up then settled on just lying where she was.

By the time they got next to her a few seconds later she was lightly singing the words to a song they didn't know. She winced when they started to move her but showed no other sign of pain. Jarlaxle took out his healing orb to start her healing, unfortunately he had to leave her wounds half tended. His orb was running out of energy faster than it should have and he knew he didn't want to make her grandmother suspicious. Kitana understood this and told him she would be fine. She thanked him for what he had done and then asked the others to leave her alone for a little while.

Kitana slept for almost four hours. The companions regretted that they had no bandages for her wounds. Though they had been almost halfway healed they were still a horrific sight. They hoped that the wounds would not get infected.

While she slept, the companions thought about something her grandmother had said. What had she meant when she said that ordinary whips didn't harm Kitana? They would have to ask the girl that when she woke. If she was in the mood to talk that is. Something else that bothered them was how had Kitana sustained herself throughout the beating? Even they would be on their knees after a beating like that. She had stood through the whole thing. Sixty-seven lashes was no small thing to fight against! There was more to her survival than stubborn defiance. They had figured early on that she was not an ordinary girl, but what did that make her?

* * *

Kitana was not made to work for the next few days. Her grandmother had to keep the extent of her injuries a secret otherwise people would begin to suspect what she was really doing. Instead, she told her guests that she had 'unfortunately beaten the girl for her inexcusable rude behavior towards Father Macon.' She went on to describe how Kitana had been 'most vulgar' and had attempted to strike the priest. Her guests gave their pity as usual.

All of this made Entreri's mouth fill with bile. He hated this woman. She was too much like that filthy merchant that had taken him from his mother as a child. She was too much like Belrigger who had exploited both him and his mother for simple copper coins and alcohol. He wanted this woman dead and would have gladly killed her if he wasn't so concerned about Kitana. Once again he asked himself why he cared so much, maybe because this situation reminded him so much of his own past. Beatings included. He went back upstairs, there was no point in being down here anymore. He was quiet as he entered Kitana's room.

Kitana was able to sit up at this point even though she had been beaten only two days before. Jarlaxle's healing orb had done a lot for her but she was still fairly injured. Jarlaxle had not been able to use the orb on her again, he was concerned that it would be completely drained. What's more was, that when he had attempted to do it again the orb had refused. Telepathically it had told him that she required no further healing. Apparently, the orb had been right because she could, and was sitting up.

A knock at Kitana's bedroom door brought Entreri out of his musings. He turned to see what looked to be a drow male in the doorway. Once he was in proper lighting however, his true nature was made obvious. He was a half drow, though all elven. The half drow's eyes were wide with shock. "Kitana what happened to you?" He raced over to Kitana, fretting over her even more when the girl told him what had happened.

"Yeah. I know," Kitana was saying. "But whatever, it's done. Hitori please tell me you have some liquor. I could really use some."

"Are you sure you should drink? You're still hurt, it doesn't sound like a good idea," Drizzt said to her.

Kitana blew off that thought with a laugh. "I don't really care. I'll be fine." She turned back to the half drow, Hitori, and repeated her question.

"Yeah, sure Kitana," he replied softly and pulled a bottle out of his bag. "Just don't drink too much, okay?" Kitana nodded and took swig from the bottle.

"That's good stuff," she said grinning at Hitori. The half drow, however, didn't look too happy. "What's wrong Hitori, do you not want me to drink? I won't if you don't want me to."

"No Kitana, it's not that. If it was, I wouldn't have handed you the bottle. Tell me about the whip she used."

"I don't really know about it," Kitana replied and she took another, smaller, swig. "It was weird. It had this dark purple and black glow around it and it felt like it was biting me from the inside. It knew me. I don't know what that feeling is about I just know that it did. I knew it too. Why do you know what it is?"

Hitori looked up at her. It was obvious to her that he wanted to say something but either would not, or could not. That happened with him a lot. Hitori sighed deeply, "Yes I do know."

"What is it?" she asked only half expecting an answer. He shook his head. He wasn't going to tell her. That happened a lot too. Kitana took his silence stoically, she was used to him not answering. There was nothing she could do but hope he would tell her at one point of another. By now she had managed to down a quarter of the bottle after barely fifteen minutes that was probably not a good thing, but she didn't care. Her head was starting to spin and like every other time she had been drinking with Hitori, strange visions swam through her mind. She stumbled to her feet and walked carefully to her desk to grab a sketchbook and a pencil. Her hands became a blur as she worked. Kitana had no idea what she was doing or what she was drawing. She would look over them in confusion when she sobered up later or the next day. Hitori never answered anything about her drawings either.

The companions watched with deep interest as she covered paper after paper with intricate drawings. They looked to each other silently expressing that they would look when she fell asleep. Her drawing binge lasted only ten minutes before she abruptly stopped. She turned to Hitori and told him to dance with her as she found some music to play. It was late at night and her grandmother was sleeping. Kitana could afford to reveal her stereo system at this point. She put in one of her favorite CD's and began to dance around her room with the half drow. It went well enough before Jarlaxle decided to ask Hitori how he had gotten to be such a good dancer.

Kitana and Hitori turned to each other and laughed. "Do you want to tell him or do you want me to?" Kitana asked. The half drow told her to go right ahead. "He's so good, " she started slowly. "because he's a stripper."

"He's a stripper?" the mercenary leader asked doubtfully.

"Yep," she replied laughing. Kitana was definitely drunk at this point. "And not just any stripper. He has the highest demand from men and women all over the place, not just this town but Waterdeep too. Isn't that right Hitori?" She danced away from Jarlaxle and over to her friend who caught her and spun her around before allowing her to dip him down almost to the floor.

"That's right Kitana. And don't forget about the number of people who don't know that."

"You mean like my grandmother and all of the women who don't know that their husbands are really gay?" The two friends burst out laughing.

"Are you gay?" Kimmuriel had to ask.

"Mostly," Hitori replied.

"How can you be 'mostly' gay?" the psionicist asked. Hitori sashayed over to him and leaned into the drow's face with his hands on Kimmuriel's thighs.

"I'm bisexual," Hitori said to him licking his lips and grinning. "Why?" He proceeded to tease Kimmuriel with a small bout of purring noises and petting. He stopped when Kitana let out a loud yawn. She was tired, she said and she was going to bed now. She turned off her music and lay down on her couch again. She was asleep within minutes, most likely because of the alcohol. The companions decided that it was time to get serious.

"What do you know?" Entreri demanded from the half drow. Hitori, caught off guard threw his hands up as if to ask the assassin what he was talking about. "You know. We know you do. Now tell us about Kitana. What the hell is going on here?"

"I can't tell you," Hitori replied calmly.

"And why is that?" Entreri said, his voice taking on a slightly threatening tone.

"I would like to, believe me. And I want to tell her the truth. But I'm under a spell by the ones who put her here. I can't say anything about it directly."

"He's telling the truth," Jarlaxle informed him. "I cast a lie detection spell, he is not lying."

Hitori nodded in thanks. "Try looking at her drawings. And her poems and journal entries if she'll show them to you." He left without saying another word. Saying that last bit had hurt him enough already. He only hoped that they would figure it out and rescue Kitana.

"What do we do now?" Drizzt asked.

"Let's look at her drawings," Jarlaxle replied. "Maybe they can tell us something."

Most of the drawings contained images of a cloaked woman walking through what looked to be a desert. Some had small, dark skinned children while others had rundown looking buildings, a few held basic knives nothing overly valuable. One drawing in particular caught their attention. It was of a man, short dark hair and drawn as though someone was viewing him from behind. He was wearing a dark colored cloak but those were common enough and they could only see a portion of his right eye. A small fraction of the cloaked woman was also in the picture. It looked like she was watching him walk away. The man wasn't even looking in her direction. The drawing was still to vague for them to really learn anything from it so they put it back down where Kitana had left it.

* * *

_Her ears caught the ring of steal. Somewhere near her there was a battle going on._

_She approached the area cautiously, not really wanting to get involved. Soon she found the combatants, minor street thugs fighting over some wench. A prostitute most likely. The fools were not worth her time. The wench's face became startled suddenly. Realizing her mistake she faded into the shadows and was not seen again. When she was far enough away she took out her dagger, its silvered edge caught the light in a brilliant display of mirrored rays. She let herself emit a irritated sigh as she slipped it back into its sheath, then stepping into one of the many plain looking buildings forced her face to become a mask._

_Her hood was pulled low as always. Secrecy was her greatest weapon. None here spoke her real name or knew her true face. The guild master drawled on about having a job for her to do. He wanted his money back; his kind always did. She would get her payment when she returned, the guild master promised, no doubt he was already thinking about how to cheat her out of it. She left the meeting room passing a man in a long red robe, the house wizard. He glared at her briefly but said nothing, he knew how dangerous she was._

_She looked at the small piece of parchment in her hand, her target lived in the small part of town she had just gone through. She killed him as she had in all of her other dreams. Then like before one of the guild master's men tried to kill her._

_Burning. Laughter. The cold rush of poison through her body. Blackness._

_

* * *

_

Kitana woke this night as she had a few days ago, suddenly and in a cold sweat. She didn't smoke this time but looked over to Entreri who was once again awake and regarding her quizzically. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I just had another dream," she said without thinking. She realized her slip a moment later and bit her lip. Why had she just told him that? To her surprise, he nodded and asked if she wanted to talk about it.

"I was a woman in a long black cloak," she explained. "In a desert somewhere and I was killing someone. I don't know who it was I just feel like I actually did it. He took something from someone. The person he stole the thing from hired me to kill him and get it back. Then someone tried to kill me."

"Is that the one you had the other night?" Entreri asked. She nodded. "Is there more than that?" The assassin didn't know why he was pressing her, but what she had just said was in one of the drawings.

"I saw a bunch of men in long red robes. They hated me and needed me gone. Then I felt like there was something burning through me, I don't know what it was. That's where it stopped."

"Were you the woman in the black cloak in that one too?" Kitana nodded again. "What about the men, do you know who they are?"

"No I don't," Kitana replied. "Well, no I can't say that. I feel like I do know them but that's all I have." She looked up at him suddenly. "Can I sleep with you?"

Entreri raised an eyebrow. What exactly was she proposing? Seeming to understand his thoughts she elaborated. "I mean can I sleep next to you. Just so I can get some real rest tonight." She knew she would be made to work again tomorrow. Seeing no real harm in such an action, Entreri came over to her so she wouldn't have to move. He lay down behind her on the couch and covered her with a blanket, effectively creating a barrier between their bodies so that if anyone saw them they wouldn't think the wrong thing. Kitana took his hand and drew his arm around her, Entreri chose not to say anything about it as she curled into him. She was back to sleep not long after.


	6. Chapter 5: Riddles and Tales

6/10/09

A/N: The thing about Hitori being a stripper, I couldn't resist. I had a D&D character that was a follower of Sune and he ended up stripping in one game (He had to surrender his armor). It was too good not to use.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co. they belong to R.. I do not want to steal them. Kitana, Hitori, Kitana's grandmother and Father Macon are mine. Macon was just a random name. Said with a long 'a'.

Warning: Spoilers for the Icewind Dale Trilogy -I mean that for all three books but mainly Streams of Silver and The Halfling's Gem

Chapter Five: Riddles And Tales

_Blood running down a silvered blade...__  
Silent footsteps and unending screams.  
__Fear courses through the shadows and I walk on  
the streets of death._

_Plain buildings hide monsters in__  
a persons' guise.__  
Sand rises in thick clouds,  
it is too hot and it stings my face._

_I hear the crying of children  
__and women pleading not to have them taken away.  
__Everything in this place is a facade,  
wounds hidden under colorful gowns._

_A clawed hand reaches for the silver knife.  
__It is hers. Mine?  
__I know not for as she plunges it into the heart of a fool,  
I can see no face._

_

* * *

_

Entreri had waited an hour before getting up. He had wanted to be sure that Kitana was asleep before he looked through her desk. He had not actually gone through it yet, she had left a notebook on top that he had chosen to look through first. In a way he was glad that he had, it contained some of the poems the half drow had mentioned. On the other hand, it only served to confuse him more, which in turn began to irritate him. The poems inside were not the most informative. Her words were vague, cryptic and could mean anything. The one he had just read however, managed to shine a little more light on the girl.

He did not fully understand what she meant by 'a silvered blade'. To him it sounded like a favored dagger of assassins. His own dagger was steel but held a silver sheen to it that made it exceptionally good for using as a mirror or sending signals of reflected light. Fear coursing through shadows also sounded like a reference to assassins. Streets of death could have meant anything, people died on streets everywhere. Entreri chose to disregard that line.

Plain buildings and monsters pretending to be people threw him off momentarily. Perhaps she really meant that the people inside these buildings were monsters? It reminded him of Calimport and the guild houses. But Kitana had never been to Calimport, had she? She spoke of deserts in this poem, the southern port city sounded like a logical place for her to be talking about. Or even one of the other cities like Memnon. Her next line could have also referred to one of the two. He had no way of knowing.

Entreri, no matter how intelligent everyone proclaimed him to be, could not figure out any of the last verse. Clawed hand? Kitana had long nails but they were not claws. Was she now talking about someone else? She started the poem off in her own persona. He remembered what she had said about her dream. The last one had been the same as the one two days ago and she had been killing someone. But she had never said whether it was really her or someone else. Maybe this poem went along with the last dream she had, he did not recall ever seeing her write it down. Maybe she had the same dream at a different time.

He continued to read through her notebook but he could no more decipher her other entries anymore than the last. Entreri looked over at Kitana's clock, it was going on five in the morning. He was briefly amazed that he had been looking through her work for so long. The assassin wondered how many notebooks she had, he was still looking through the first few and had not even made it off the top of her desk yet. A soft whimpering noise caused him to look up from the one he was currently reading, Entreri looked over to Kitana who let out another little whine. Not wanting her to wake up again Entreri put her notebook back where he found it and slid onto the couch behind her. To his relief she did not wake and had stopped her mewling when she felt his nearness. It was strange to the assassin that someone could find his presence comforting, wasn't she even the slightest bit afraid of him? But he knew that answer. She wasn't the least bit afraid, if she was, she was doing an extraordinary job of hiding it.

Kitana rolled over to face his chest; Entreri was tempted to pull away lest someone see them like this. He decided against it though, she would only be asleep for another hour, he could set any discomfort aside. For some reason Kitana smiled into him. 'Did she hear that last thought?' the assassin asked himself. But how could she have? Maybe she was just having a more pleasant dream.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Kitana asked Entreri. The assassin looked up at her and nodded. "Can I call you Artemis? Everyone else is on a first name basis, but they just call you by your last name."

"I don't care," Entreri replied.

It was about noon now and they were in the kitchen. The companions had only been here a week and already they were tired of the monotony. How did Kitana live like this? Not that she had a choice. And now neither did they.

"You're from Calimport right?" She asked a few minutes later. Again Entreri nodded. "What's it like?"

"Like any other place around here except five times larger and hotter. Why?"

Kitana shrugged. "I don't know, I guess I just want hear about some place else. Where else have you been?"

"A lot of places. What did you have in mind?" Entreri replied with a raised eyebrow. What did she want from him? He watched her thinking with slight amusement, she was making a big deal out of this. "You want me to tell you about some of my adventures," he reasoned after letting her think for a few minutes. She nodded eagerly in response. Entreri thought back to when she mentioned not leaving the house in three months, on top of the same daily ritual it was no wonder she was so bored. So was he actually. 'What the hell,' he thought. 'I can tell her a story or two.' "How about I tell you about the time I kidnapped one of Drizzt's friends?"

Kitana gave him a strange look. "You and Drizzt weren't friends before?" she asked confused.

"No we weren't; I was sent from Calimport by a guildmaster called Pasha Pook to retrieve Drizzt's halfling friend Regis who had stolen a magical ruby pendant from him. I found the halfling in Icewind Dale two years after I had started on his trail. Obviously, I had not been expecting him to have been protected by a drow. He learned of my presence in the town of Bryn Shander and ran. His friend Catti-brie came into his house to collect his things after he left with Drizzt and two of his other friends. I kidnapped her to use as a bargaining piece and followed them on their way to Mithral Hall. One of his traveling companions was a dwarf king and he wanted to find the place so he and his clan could reclaim it." Entreri smiled a little as she leaned forward even more intent on listening to him.

"I stopped in Luskan to meet someone I thought would know where they were going. She used to sell maps and information before she crossed me. I killed her in her room and left. I was in Luskan for a few days before the new people I was working with figured out that Drizzt and his companions had left. My new associates were a minor mage from the Hosttower and one of the city guards. Their master sent a golem along with us to hunt Drizzt down because they thought he had something they wanted. That turned out to not be the case. We caught up with them in a place called Keeper's Dale, that is where the hidden door was. They had already gotten through at that point and it was sealed the mage had her master's golem break the door down. I had killed the soldier. We found them in a lower chamber, that is where I battled Drizzt for the first time. We triggered a trap in our battle however, and we fell through into one of the lower mines. Drizzt and I made our way down through the tunnel, I forced him but he complied easily enough; he is not a fool, though I chose to think differently then. We discovered that the place was being run by duergar serving a shadow dragon they called Shimmergloom. We killed several of the duergar and made a run for it, climbing out of a chasm. I pushed Drizzt down about seventy feet and climbed out the other side with the halfling then I ran off." Entreri stopped there. He looked away from Kitana to see Jarlaxle standing in the doorway grinning like a fool at him and the girl.

"Why Artemis!" the mercenary exclaimed happily. "I had never known you to be so talkative! My friend, this is a delightful improvement."

Entreri scowled at him coldly. "No, you losing that hideous hat and sewing your mouth shut would be an improvement."

Jarlaxle let out a dramatic sigh. "Oh but Artemis, I do so enjoy your voice like that! Were you even aware that you were excited telling her your tale? Perhaps you should tell her more." The mercenary threw Entreri his most charming smile but its intended effect was completely lost on the assassin whose mood had now soured like milk left out in the sun for too long.

"Perhaps you should tell her some of your tales if you are so desperate for conversation," Entreri replied dryly. Aggravated, he got up and left the room.

Kitana held in a disappointed whine as he walked away. Jarlaxle had pissed him off just as the story was getting really good. Why did he have to go and do that? The mercenary seemed to notice her chestfallen reaction and asked her what was wrong. "You made him leave. I liked that story. I don't get to hear good stuff like that every day, you know. And now he probably wont tell me the rest," she huffed.

"I see," Jarlaxle answered acknowledging his mistake. "Forgive me, I was not joking when I said he is not normally so talkative. Had I known you were so intent on hearing his tale, I would not have interrupted. Maybe if you asked him to continue he would tell you more. I will not interrupt you again if he does." Kitana nodded looking a little defeated. She figured that Jarlaxle was probably right, he knew Artemis better than she did. Even so, with the little she did know about him she knew that he didn't normally spend time talking to people. She had learned early on that was Jarlaxle's job. Artemis merely followed him around for some unknown reason.

* * *

Entreri meantime, sat in the courtyard cursing to himself. Why did Jarlaxle always have to show up at the worst times? Why? As much as he would have liked to deny it, he had been enjoying trading tales with Kitana. She was actually intelligent unlike many of the women he had met in his life, and actually listened to him with genuine interest. It was nice to talk to someone that didn't flinch when he talked about having killed someone or loudly expressed their disgust. Did that stupid drow have to ruin everything? Kitana had probably lost interest by now, she most likely thought that Jarlaxle would intervene again and cause him to walk off. He couldn't really blame her if she did. He was used to the drow's irritating behavior. A raindrop hit his face and then another followed, then several more. It quickly became a downpour and Entreri to longer wished to remain outside. He came back in through the door he had left through earlier and back to the kitchen. Kitana was still there, but for some reason she was cleaning up.

"Don't come through yet," she said looking up at him. "I just cleaned that spot on the floor." She handed him a towel and asked him to take his boots off. He did so carefully and left them in the small hallway he had just passed through. Then he dried off grateful for the towel. He had not been out in the rain long but it had succeeded in getting him fairly soaked. He asked if it was possible for him to remove his shirt, the thing wasn't the most comfortable to wear when wet.

"It's fine. Just don't let her see you topless. She wouldn't leave you alone if she did."

Entreri agreed and snuck back upstairs to get another shirt. Kitana followed him close behind cleaning up the small amounts of water he was trailing. There was a bit of awkwardness between them that neither of them wanted to mention. Both were wondering if Kitana would ask Entreri to tell her more and if Entreri would if she asked. Entreri felt the odd need to talk to her for some reason. He said the first thing he noticed.

"Your grandmother is not here," he stated turning to Kitana.

The young woman shook her head. "No. She went out tonight. She won't be back until past midnight. I figured I'd take care of things early. The others are gone too."

This information caught the assassin off guard. "Where did they go?"

She shrugged. "Jarlaxle went with my grandmother because she asked him to. I don't know where Drizzt and Kimmuriel vanished off to. They said that they should be back around the same time as Jarlaxle."

"Do you want me to light the fireplace in your room?" Entreri asked. She nodded and said that would be nice.

They sat down in front of the fire together after it was lit. It filled the room with a comforting glow and warmth. Kitana wasn't usually allowed to have her fireplace lit. Her grandmother wanted to try to make her as miserable as possible, though in this case it failed. Kitana had acclimated to the cold quickly. Now it hardly ever phased her. It was nice to have the fire tonight though. The rain was not going to let up any time soon and Kitana took out some of the small treats she had been hiding in her room since she had made lunch. Soon the room was filled with the smell of breakfast sausage and hashbrowns and later there would be some chocolate over fruit and crackers. Kitana made a joke about having breakfast for dinner, saying that it was bad luck and sacrilegious. The two laughed at her mockery of the priest.

"So will you tell me more of the story from earlier?" she finally asked. "What happened after you ran away with the halfling?"

"You're still interested in that?" Artemis returned, a little amazed that she had brought it up.

"Well, yeah. It was a good story. I want to know what happened next."

Entreri nodded. "All right. After I ran with the halfling I went to Waterdeep then boarded a ship to take us to Baulder's Gate. I was there for a night making arrangements to get on another ship that would take us to Calimport. We sailed south on the Sea of Swords, it was a journey that took almost a week. The ship we were on was one of the fastest and there was a good south wind. Unfortunately, we were almost delayed. The halfling attempted to scare the crew by burning himself with candle wax and saying it was a disease. The captain agreed to take us to port but I could not let word of a disease slow me down. I killed everyone but the captain before I set the ship aflame. I found another ship to get to Calimport and I delivered the halfling to Pasha Pook shortly after arriving. Drizzt and his friends arrived a few days later and I was waiting for them, I wanted to fight Drizzt again. I set a series of traps to get him and his friends separated then I followed him through the sewers. We battled but he bested me again, if his friends had not shown up we could have continued our fight. I ran out of the sewers he followed me but I started yelling 'Drow' and he was surrounded. I made my escape while he was busy with the people of the city."

Kitana was lying on her stomach with her head propped up with her elbows. "Is that it?" she asked.

"That's it."

"You said that you and Drizzt weren't friends before. How did he come to travel with you then?"

The assassin ran his fingers through his hair. "I am still not entirely sure about that. We found him not too far from Mithral Hall one night a couple months ago, he was crying in the woods for some reason and asked if he could leave with us. He has been with us ever since."

Kitana's head tilted to the side. "Why did he want to leave so bad?" she asked.

Entreri gave her a noncommittal shrug in response. "He wont talk about it."

"Do you have more stories?"

"I do, but I don't feel like telling anymore. It's your turn."

Kitana sat up. "I don't have any stories to tell. I mean, unless you want to hear about the different colors of the grease I clean off of my pans." He made a disgusted face and she laughed. "Didn't think so. I guess I could show you some of my poems if you want. Or my drawings."

Entreri nodded. "If you don't mind showing them to me." She took a few of her notebooks out of her desk drawer and told him that he shouldn't bother asking her about the things she had written inside.

"I have no idea about these things myself so I couldn't begin to tell you," Kitana explained. "Sometimes I black out and when I wake up I have a bunch of drawings or I've written down strange things. I can't understand most of them but I do know that some of them have to do with my dreams." She looked up thoughtfully. "Actually, I think they all do I just don't realize it completely. Some of the things I've drawn do match with my dreams." She handed him her notebooks without another word. He looked through them silently and was mesmerized by what he was reading. Many of these poems were like the ones he had already read. Others were of her current situation. Her artwork was no less breath taking. He saw that she was indeed drawing and speaking of Calimport in her poems. He had lived there most of his life and could easily recognize many things. The question still remained though, when had Kitana ever been to Calimport?

"These are very good," he told her. "Have you ever been to Calimport?"

"No. I don't think so," she answered slowly. "Why, is that the place I drew?"

He laid out a few of her drawings. "These are. And this one here looks like Waterdeep. I cannot tell what these other ones are of."

Kitana shrugged her shoulders. "You would know. Can I sleep with you again? You were a good pillow." To emphasize her point she stood up stretching and giving a profound yawn. She looked down and smiled at him waiting for his answer. Entreri let out a small chuckle and agreed for some reason he could not quite understand. They laid down in front of the fire together, once again she pulled his arm around herself and made a pillow out of his other arm. Entreri found that he was not tired even as he watched Kitana fall asleep on him. To his further surprise he found himself staring at her for longer and longer periods of time. He felt the strange urge to bury his face in her hair. His grip on her waist tightened briefly before he realized what he was doing, and that his pants were getting a little tight. Entreri pulled away from her. It wouldn't do him any good if she woke up with him so... so... 'Why am I so aroused?' he asked himself. "This is wrong, she's only seventeen.' Kitana sighed in her sleep then rolled over throwing her leg over him in the process. He couldn't get her off so easily. Entreri signed in defeat and put his face in her hair like he had wanted to do before.

"Now what am I going to do?" he whispered to himself. It was unlikely that Kitana would wake up any time soon, it was only ten at night, the others would be back in about two or so hours. "What have you done to me?" he sighed.

* * *

Kitana woke at five the next morning. Artemis was still sleeping behind her. She pressed a little closer to him to get warmer.

And noticed that he was poking her ass.

At first she wanted to wake him up and slap him. She felt a little violated and betrayed because she had believed that he wasn't like any of the other men that came to her house. But she didn't. She reasoned that it wasn't really his fault. She knew that most guys had this problem in the morning- according to Hitori, and that it was inevitable with her having been pressed up against him all night. 'All night!' her mind screamed. She sat up and looked around her room. The others were nowhere to be found. Were they even back yet? There was too much to risk lying on the floor.

Kitana sat up and shook Artemis awake. "You have to get up now it's five and I don't know if the others are back. Someone might see us." Entreri's eyes sprung wide open, he sat up and then realized his position.

"Was I-" he started to ask.

"You were just poking me," she told him. "It's no big deal but we have to get up now," she repeated.

She got up and took a shower as usual and as usual she was out and dressed in ten minutes. He decided to get in after her. Entreri needed time to think. What had he been doing? He knew he should have found a way to stay away from her right after he had started staring at her. After he finished he found her sitting on her floor in front of the fire. She had some coffee going for the two of them. "I don't think the others are here," she stated. "If they were we would have seen them by now." He nodded and sat down next to her.

"I'm sorry about that," He said slowly. She knew instantly what he was talking about. She told him not to worry about it, she knew it was 'a guy thing' and wasn't surprised considering how they had been sleeping.

"Can we still sleep together though?" she asked hesitantly. "I mean, if it doesn't bother you."

"Does it bother you?" he returned.

"No. I can live with it. I know you won't try anything." He was amazed that she sounded so certain. But she was right, wasn't she? He wouldn't do anything to her. She was only seventeen, way too young for him.

"It doesn't bother me. If it doesn't bother you then I see no reason why we cannot. I'm not about to do anything to you, we just have to be careful around the others." He looked straight at her while he said this leaving no room for debate. Not that he was about to receive any, Kitana was delighted with his decision and even more so at the thought of not having any more of those dreams. It was weird that he was somehow able to keep them away, but she didn't think too much on it. She was just happy that she had a solution for the time being.


	7. Chapter 6: First Night Out In How Long?

6/15/09

A/N: Sorry if that last part seemed a bit rushed. I'm experimenting with longer chapters and having less of them at the same time. As always, I'm sure certain things in my plotline must seem like a major 'duh' to you but it must be this way. I know I really should have them finding certain things out a lot faster. There will be a few more dreams and poems from Kitana's notebooks. I made those up myself and if you would like to borrow them for whatever reason please feel free, just ask me first.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co. they belong to R.A. Salvatore. I do not wish to steal them and I'm only borrowing them for a little bit because I am seriously messed up in the head. Kitana, her grandmother, Hitori and anyone else you do not recognize are (or should be) my own creation.

Warning: Excessive use of foul language, violent ideas. violence, most likely inappropriate subjects and inappropriate subjects (I put both to be on the safe side), mush and later on, sexual situations. Please do not continue reading this if you do not like or approve of the aforementioned. (That was meant to cover the entire story)

Chapter Six: First Night Out In How Long?

"Where the hell have you been?" Entreri demanded. Jarlaxle merely grinned happily in the face of the irate assassin.

"My friend, do you doubt that I have been useful? Why not ask what I have been doing instead." Jarlaxle's smile widened a little more. To everyone else in the room it looked like if his grin went any wider, the top half of his head would fell back as though on a hinge. Entertaining as the idea was, the companions did not have time to think on the image.

"Do I _want_ to know what you have been doing?" Entreri asked not bothering to hide his disgust. Knowing Jarlaxle it involved a number of undoubtedly beautiful and well endowed women.

"Ah my friend," Jarlaxle started with a knowing expression. "How could you think so low of me? I was out gathering information." He paused in place of the assassins still doubting expression. "I am being quite honest with you Artemis, and I have learned some things that will interest even you."

"And what would that be?" Entreri asked sarcastically.

"Do you recall what Kitana told you about one of her dreams that you relayed to me?"

"Do elaborate," The assassin scowled, why did Jarlaxle have to turn everything into a game? Was it even possible for him to be serious?

"About the men in the long robes," Jarlaxle specified. Entreri remembered now and bade the mercenary to continue. "There are two wizards in this town that match the description and one of Kitana's drawings. I think they are the lesser wizards of the ones she mentioned. I saw them at the party her grandmother went to last night."

"Does her grandmother know them?" Entreri was now highly suspicious. This was starting to become far too convenient.

"It appears to me that they know each other on strictly business terms." The drow paused again to watch Entreri. When he received no answer he continued. "I did not get terribly close to them I'm afraid. I did not want to look like I was up to something."

Entreri let out a disgusted snort. His earlier thoughts about where the drow had been were just proven correct. "You mean there were too many women for you to stare at and try to get into your bed," he said to Jarlaxle before he turned away.

"Oh and one more thing Artemis," Jarlaxle called. Entreri turned to face the drow again with an annoyed expression clear on his face. "Tell Kitana that her grandmother is going to another formal party tonight and wants to bring her along. She needs to get ready, her grandmother plans to try to humiliate her tonight. She needs a proper dress."

The assassin raised an eyebrow but nodded. Once again he wondered what the hell was going on here.

Kitana was not happy about the news at all but did not make as much of a big deal of it as Entreri thought she would have. Instead, she calmly sat down and thought of what she could do. She didn't have any dresses. Her grandmother had taken them all way a while ago for just the purpose of humiliating her in public. Kitana was still sure that there were a few around the house somewhere but she could not afford to look or even worse, ask her grandmother for one. She refused to sink to that level. On a whim she pulled out a catalog and flipped through it. She had marked a few pages with dressed she had thought were nice one night while she had been drinking with Hitori. Hitori had provided the magazine. Kitana drummed her fingers on her desk idly, wondering what she was going to do. She had no way to call the half drow and ask him the favor.

She lazily turned the page to the dress she had chosen as her favorite. It was a burgundy red, floor-length gown that was halter style on top with a cut in the front that would end a quarter of the way down her belly. The pieces that would cover her breasts were separate and joined by two thin strips of fabric one over her sternum and the other just below her breasts. There was a long split in the left side that would be half way up her thigh. It wasn't that expensive either, only one hundred gold pieces. All of the other gowns in the magazine were three hundred at least. Kitana let out an irritated sigh. How the hell was she going to find a way out of this one?

"There are dresses in that?" Entreri asked casually. She nodded slightly without looking up at him. He wondered for a moment why she did that so often. "Which one do you want?"

Now she did look up at him. She could not hide her surprise. "Why would you even-" she started to say but he cut her off.

"You need a dress but have no way to get one on your own. Let me get it for you."

Kitana started to protest but he silenced her with a firm look. "But why?" she finally managed to get out. No one ever did anything nice for her.

"You need it. I hate your grandmother. You do not need anymore to deal with. Pick one, they are all good reasons."

"But I can't pay you back." She frowned deeply. What was he up to?

"Do not worry about it," he said to her unwavering. He lifted her face gingerly so she would look him in the eye. "If it is upsetting you that much, then let it be my paying you back for this morning." His face softened as he saw her start to smile. She was still confused though, it was plain enough for him to see. "Don't worry about paying me back," he said again, this time more gently. "I want to do this for you. Now which one do you want?" She pulled her face out of his hand and held up the magazine pointing to the picture of her favorite dress.

* * *

Sure enough, after Entreri left to go get her the dress, Kitana's grandmother barged into her room. "You are going to a formal party with me tonight," she stated. Kitana did not give away the fact that she already knew this and she stared blankly at the stupid bitch. "You will behave and you will dress properly. If you do not, I will beat you again." She left the room ending on that note.

The threat of a beating sounded hollow to Kitana even though she knew that her grandmother was serious about it. She didn't care. She was used to it. Likely, her grandmother would beat her anyway, even if she did do as she was told. After all, there was always something she did wrong. Or so her grandmother said.

For the moment, she had other things to deal with. For example, Kitana always wore her hair in a long braid down her back. It was both comfortable and practical. What was she supposed to do with her hair for the event of the formal party? She knew that her usual braid would work with the dress, but if she left it the way it was there would be people harping on her about it. While she wasn't looking forward to being stuck with her grandmother in a place full of people she hated, she didn't want to ruin her first night out in a long time. By default that meant she had to do something different with her hair. And then she had to by some random miracle find a pair of shoes...

"Wow," she said to no one in particular. " I never thought I'd be sitting here worrying about my looks for something." She laughed out loud and the others joined her.

"Would you like some help deciding on what to do?" Jarlaxle teased good naturedly.

"Actually yes, and since you seem to be a master of looks yourself, I'm going to ask you." Kitana smiled and Jarlaxle took the jibe in good stride. "What should I do with my hair? I don't usually wear it a different way."

"Why not wear it down then?" The mercenary suggested.

"You know, that just might work. Simple yet effective." She laughed again. "I'm stealing that idea."

"It is all yours," Jarlaxle conceded. He bowed deeply playing along in mock defeat. "What else did you need assistance with?"

"Ah... I need some kind of dress shoes. I don't have any." Her brow furrowed as she thought about what she was going to do. She knew she had a pair of boots somewhere that would look nice with the dress but she doubted it would be a good idea to wear that particular pair.

Jarlaxle tapped a finger against his lips. "I do not believe I have any women's shoes on me," he said wistfully.

"Are you sure about that?" came a sarcastic reply from the doorway. Entreri was back. In one arm he carried a medium sized, flat box. In the other there was a small bag. He handed both to Kitana who opened the box first to look at her new dress. Entreri almost let himself smile as she gawked at the thing. Almost. He wasn't going to show his pleasure to Jarlaxle. This was just going to appear to be one of the many things that he had been forced to do out of necessity. She opened the bag and pulled out a pair of shoes. Black with three inch heels, cross laced and would buckle at her ankle. Kitana looked up at him curiously. "Hitori ran into me on the street," the assassin explained. "It seems that he knew of your grandmother's plan to take you out tonight too and he handed those to me. He said that he got them from one of the women he works with at the bar and you don't have to pay him back."

"Did he really run into you?" Kitana asked trying to hide her amusement.

"Just as I was passing in front of the bar on my way back here," His head unconsciously tilted to the side. "Why, does that happen often?"

"Yeah, he has this weird tendency of literally running into people," Kitana shrugged indifferently then looked closely at the shoes to see if their previous owner had left some hint to her identity. Not that she knew any of the women at the bar of course. Hitori had talked to her about them a lot and even told her a few times that she would really like some of them. At the same time she also did not want to get any kind of fungus, that would not be good. Kitana settled on brushing the shoes over with a little of the vinegar she kept in her bathroom for cleaning. She rinsed them off satisfied that if there had been anything on them, it was gone now and she could wear them without worrying about catching something. Kitana knew that Hitori would never purposely give her something infected but it was better to be safe.

Now that she had both the dress and the shoes, it was time to get ready. She had a minor bit of trouble with the dress and asked one of the watchdogs to help her into it. She didn't pay attention to who had but was grateful that he was gentle and respectful of her. Too many other guys would have just grabbed her somewhere and called it a day without actually helping with the dress. She had to sit down to put the shoes on, they gave her no trouble and she knew that she would be able to walk in them just fine.

"Now the fun part," she said to herself. Kitana carefully unbraided her hair. This was not something she did frequently to go out. She brushed slowly so her hair wouldn't frizz. When she finished, it fell down her back in a silvery waterfall. She ran her fingers through it, it was strange doing so outside of the shower. "I think we should get going now," she said to the others. Jarlaxle unsealed her room and escorted her down the stairs making sure not to trip her or step on her dress.

* * *

The party turned out to be only across the street. Kitana could have laughed at the irony, this was the same house that the 'suitor' whose face she threatened to burn off with cooking oil lived. Her grandmother walked in front of her regally. Or as about as regally as someone who looked like an over-bloated pig could get, Kitana thought. The young woman herself walked behind silently, still holding onto Jarlaxle's arm, which turned out to be a demand from her grandmother. Kitana had already been told what not to do before they even left the house. Do not talk to any men, do not talk to any women, do not dance with anyone but her guards and she may only do this once as was to appear appropriate, she could dance with 'that lovely half drow' if the opportunity arose (but Kitana knew that was only to make her grandmother look better), do not speak unless spoken to and absolutely no blasphemy. The list went on to include many more things but Kitana had tuned the rest of the speech out, she knew the drill already and had not really intended to do any of those things anyway as she had absolutely no interest in anyone at the party whatsoever.

She held herself up in a dignified manner even though it would not make an difference. The people here believed that she was a monster after all. She remained perfectly silent as her grandmother drank in all the attention. Kitana even managed to hold in a laugh as her watchdogs were complimented on how they had managed to discipline the girl into something respectable. The four companions and Kitana drifted off into the crowd to one of the tables in the back after fifteen minutes of the torturous conversation. The companions did not want to be a part of this anymore than Kitana. She was allowed one glass of wine (it was never specified which type) and she decided to take it now settling on a sweet red sangria. No doubt she would be able to get more as the night wore on and her grandmother partook in more and more of the wide selection. She shared her wine with Drizzt who had chosen a drier zinfandel. They agreed that both were good but the fruity sangria went down easier and was more suitable to their taste for the evening. Jarlaxle turned up with a small glass of peach flavored chardonnay which was slightly sweeter than the zinfandel but nowhere near the level of the sangria.

"I had no idea you were such a wine connoisseur Kitana," Jarlaxle commented happily.

Kitana gave him what was now her patented shrug. "It helps having to serve a bunch of these idiots all the time. You pick up on these things."

They did not exchange many words for a little while. They merely sipped at their (and each other's) wine and watched the night pass. A few young men came over to the table to 'talk to' Kitana who promptly glared at them and scared them away before they could say anything to harass her as they had planned. She knew them all too well, most of them had been to her house before having been called by her grandmother. She also did not miss the leering looks thrown at her by the other women. Kitana chose to ignore them like she always did. It wasn't her problem if they had inferiority issues. They were jealous no doubt that the young men went to out of their way to talk to the one they saw as an ungrateful threat.

Dinner was served an hour after arrival. Kitana's grandmother joined them at the table for the meal and complimented Jarlaxle for the fine job he and the others were doing on Kitana. The mercenary leader only smiled charmingly at her in return, giving off the air of one who was exceptionally pleased with their work. Had they not been at the party Kitana would have commented on his acting skills. Kitana and the others ate sparingly trying not to watch her grandmother attempt to hide the fact that she was shoveling food down her fat throat. Kitana _never_ cooked so well as this. That was what the grandmother said to one of her noble friends as they dined. It was a miracle that she had even gotten the girl out to the event tonight, obviously with great help from the new guards. She was complimented for having thought to hire them.

Five grueling courses later the stupid bitch finally stopped stuffing her face, she had looked neat enough to the other nobles but she was still a pig to Kitana. The dancing would begin soon. Having no choice in the matter, she knew she would have to get up soon. She chose to dance with Drizzt who was more than happy to help her. Entreri and Kimmuriel had no interest in dancing and she really didn't want to be stuck with Jarlaxle again, he had already been assigned the escort. They danced through two songs and then sat back down. They were stuck at the party for another hour before Kitana was permitted to leave. One of the noble women gave Jarlaxle a bottle of wine as a gift, he chose the same sangria Kitana had been drinking earlier. He showed her the bottle and winked.

Once back inside the house Kimmuriel disappeared into the library while Drizzt and Jarlaxle went to fetch wine glasses in the kitchen. Finding them might take a while so Kitana told them that she would help once she got out of the dress. Entreri went upstairs with her to let her in and out.

"I like this dress, but it's turning out to be a pain in the ass," She sighed. She reached over her shoulder and attempted to unzip it that way, only managing to get the zipper down a few inches before losing it. "Will you please help me out of this thing?" she asked the assassin.

Entreri had been watching her the entire night. Seeing her in the dress had only even more to put unwanted feelings into his head. He had passed on the wine so it wouldn't cloud his mind, not that that was unusual for him. He had foregone the dancing for the same reason. He didn't want to let himself get more attracted to Kitana. And now she wanted him to undress her...

He shook off the feeling of discomfort, it wasn't like she was asking him to bed her. Entreri slid the zipper down her slender back carefully avoiding getting her hair caught. Her ivory skin went well with the deep red of the fabric. He was enjoying every inch he could see. He untied the straps of the halter for her too, they fell off her shoulders and the front of the dress fell about an inch too far before she caught it. He licked his lips at the marvelous view of her breasts. Without realizing what he was doing he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He turned her around with his other hand and planted his lips firmly on hers. Entreri knew that his hands were wandering and that he should not be kissing her. But he had to do something, she was becoming to tempting for him. He heard himself let out a sound of delight as her arms slid around his neck, his kiss became more insistent, she could feel him through his pants and the skirt of her gown. Her dress was slowly slipping off of her lithe form, only staying up because of the closeness of their bodies.

Entreri tore his lips away from Kitana's and turned away form her. He could not hide how embarrassed he was and could not face her. He knew her dress had fallen to the floor but he forced himself not to look back at her. He didn't say a word to her as he walked to the other side of the room deliberately keeping himself facing away from her. 'What the hell am I doing?' his mind screamed. For some reason he could not answer that. His thoughts inevitably turned to what would happen for the rest of the night. Would she even want to be near him at all? Maybe he should leave. But if he left, the others would wonder what caused him to. He had to stay. 'I'll apologize to her,' he told himself. 'I really should not have done that.'

He listened to her redress, most likely some kind of night clothes. She told him she was ready to go downstairs but just as they were getting ready to leave Drizzt and Jarlaxle were topping the stairs. Jarlaxle explained that they had found the glasses in the far back of one of the kitchen cabinets. Normally those were kept as spares but Kitana told them that those were fine to use. Her grandmother would never know the difference. She probably didn't even know about them. Entreri tried not to stare as he took in what she was wearing, a simple black shirt with short sleeves. It was big on her which made her look smaller, and also more attractive especially as she walked. The shirt lifted with her movement giving him teasing glances of her ass, clearly she was wearing a thong underneath. He forced himself down, he could not afford to let anyone see him like this. Especially not Jarlaxle.

Another problem presented itself in the assassin's mind. He didn't know where it came from but it was all too clear. Would she even want to be close to him again? Would she sleep next to him? Entreri let the thought slide. If she chose to not sleep next to him again there was nothing he could do about it. It had been her idea in the first place and it was her call as to when she stopped.

He sat alone on the couch watching Kitana and Jarlaxle split the bottle of wine. A few more jokes, a few more laughs. She seemed to be fine for the most part. And then she looked tired, he was already laying down on the couch. She crawled on next to him, pulling his arm over herself as she had before. He wondered how she could even want to be near him.


	8. Chapter 7: Spells of the Mind

6/17/09

A/N: O.O Kissy goodness! I must apologize for my getting Artemis so out of character. I've been trying to keep him in so much I did the exact opposite of what I was trying to do. I'll try harder to keep him as his original, just a tiny bit more open to certain people. This chapter is going to be more on the focus of the others learning about Kitana so you will be able to understand a few things better (Provided that you have not read my other stories but either way it will get more to the point). If you haven't noticed, this story has been mostly thought based, I'm doing that on purpose but it will change more towards the end.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co, they are the undisputed property of R.A. Salvatore and I have no intention of stealing them or any other of his characters. My own characters have been previously claimed and are rightfully mine. I have not used any characters other than those listed so further disclaimer is not needed until I do.

Warning: Foul language, violent ideas, violence, sexual situations, most likely inappropriate subjects and inappropriate subjects and/or situations. If you do not like any of these, this story is not for you and I would advise you to stop reading before you become offended. Thank you, have a lovely day.

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Chapter Seven: Spells of the Mind

It was three days after the party and Kitana was still thinking about the kiss. She wanted to know why he had done it. Why had he turned away? But she already knew that answer. She was seventeen, that was why, and he was forty-something. He wasn't the kind of person that would take advantage of a girl so much younger than him. She knew that those ideas disgusted him, she hated them too. But the way he kissed her...So much desire...Why had he done it? Why if she knew that he was disgusted by such advantage stealing things? She didn't know why, she only knew that Artemis had kissed her and that she had enjoyed every second of it. She didn't know the answer to that either.

He wasn't there at the moment. Jarlaxle had asked him to go out and get a few things, Entreri would be back in an hour or two the mercenary had assured her. Kitana got the odd feeling that he somehow knew what had happened between her and the assassin. Thankfully, he said nothing about it if he did know. Kitana stared up at her ceiling. Her grandmother had gone off somewhere for the week leaving her alone with the watchdogs. There would be far less cooking and cleaning than normal, she would just have to make it look like she had been scrubbing things endlessly before her grandmother returned. That would be easy enough, all she would have to do is pour soapy water all over the entry hall and start scrubbing there just as her grandmother was coming back in. She was happy that she was in for a quiet (Except for Jarlaxle's constant chattering) week.

True to what the mercenary leader had said, Entreri was back after about an hour. He carried in several large bags which he placed on the floor. Curiosity brought Kitana in closer to examine them. They were full of traveling gear. She looked up at Jarlaxle questioningly.

"We are going away for the week." He explained. "Myself, Drizzt and Kimmuriel are leaving tonight. Artemis is going to stay here with you." He continued when he saw her confusion. He turned his attention to the assassin when he felt someone glaring at him. For a moment it seemed that Entreri was going to burn holes into his skin with that look. "I am sorry I did not mention this to you before my friend. I thought it would be best if I waited to tell you." The glare did not vanish from the assassin's face; Jarlaxle hid well his shudder. "We have important business to attend and we cannot leave Kitana here alone. I am sure you would not like to go anyway, our business is in the Underdark."

This time his statement held more ground. He had played his card correctly though it had been his last. Artemis never wanted to return to the Underdark ever again under any circumstances. He would stay with Kitana and Jarlaxle and the others would go.

Entreri let out an irritated sigh. "What exactly are you going to do?" he asked Jarlaxle. Even though he was not going he still felt that he had the right to know what would be going on.

"We are going to meet with some associates and hopefully gain some information." Jarlaxle let the last word hang in the air before continuing. Entreri knew what he meant. "Do not worry my friend, anything we find we will relay to you. I will not leave you uninformed." That comment sounded far too out of character for the drow but no one said a thing about it. For once in his life Jarlaxle was being completely honest and the thought of that itself was almost too much to believe.

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"How exactly are we getting to the Underdark?" Drizzt asked skeptically.

Jarlaxle didn't slow his rapid pace as he answered. "We are not going there just yet. We must see someone up here first."

"And who is that?"

"Someone who knows more about Kitana than he can say." The older drow replied. His face gave away the fact that he was very worried about something. Since when was Jarlaxle unable to hide what he was feeling? Whatever was bothering him had to be fearsome indeed.

The walked quickly through the town streets ending up only a few blocks from where that had been before. The building was unassuming for the most part but a person walking out of it revealed its nature. Inside the bar was full of people regardless of the fact that it was still early, music blared from somewhere unseen. On the stage the half drow and three beautiful, scantily clad women danced around the four poles fixed into it. Men howled at the show, tossing gold coins up onto the stage for the women and Hitori to pick up while bending over, one went so far as to slap the half drow on the behind. Others held full bags above their heads bidding the dancers to come to them. The companions waited patiently for the show to end before slipping into the back hall where the dancers' rooms were. They silently stalked behind Hitori and entered his room behind him. Jarlaxle tapped him on the shoulder causing the half drow to jump.

"We need to know about Kitana." Jarlaxle stated. He was still acting severely out of character.

"I can't tell you." Hitori replied pleadingly.

"I believe we have found a way that will not hurt you." the mercenary continued calmly. "This is important. Two of the wizards are in this town right now."

Hitori's eyes went wide with fear. He swallowed the lump in his throat and told the companions to wait a minute. He needed to tell his boss that he was having a private meeting in his room. Hitori's boss took the information easily, believing that the half drow had finally decided to take a patron and earn a little extra cash. "You are certain that they are the ones who put her here?" he asked Jarlaxle when he returned.

"Kitana told Artemis about one of her dreams in which there was a group of men in long red robes. Last week her grandmother went to a formal party hosted by one of the other nobles and spoke to them. They were also at the party earlier this week but Kitana did not notice them, again her grandmother spoke with them. Tell us who they are."

The half drow looked at him forlornly. "I don't know how much I can tell you. This stupid spell prevents me from saying much of anything."

Jarlaxle looked at him squarely. "I believe we have found a solution." He gestured over to Kimmuriel. "Kimmuriel here is of a special talent. He may be able to manipulate the energy of the spell on you and allow you to speak freely to us without being hurt. Hitori sighed but nodded his consent. Kimmuriel stepped forward placing a hand on him and closing his eyes. The spell was strong but he could change its properties for a short time. He forced his energy into the magic then, eyes open and glazed he turned to Jarlaxle and told him to start asking questions.

"Is she really seventeen?"

"No." Hitori was amazed that there was not the slightest bit of pain and grew more confident that the companions were right about this new method.

"How old is she really?"

"One hundred and one I think. Maybe one hundred two. I haven't asked her age for a while."

"Where does she come from and what was she doing before she ended up here?" asked Jarlaxle now even more intrigued.

"She was born in Ilari but lived in Calimshan for the greater part of her life. She was working as an assassin in Calimport before the wizards caught her somehow. I don't know how they did it."

"Why do you find it hard to believe that they caught her?"

"I don't think they knew her true nature. She isn't a human she's a-" Hitori stopped abruptly grasping his chest. Jarlaxle tried asking him what he had been about to say but the half drow could not answer and was thrown into another bout of screaming pain. Jarlaxle let him rest a few moments before continuing to question him.

"Who are the men in the red robes?"

"Wizards. From Calimport. From what I know there was a guild takeover and they needed Kitana removed to win. They tried killing her at first but the attempt failed and she killed the one they made the guildmaster send to do it." Hitori fell back into his chair gasping and exhausted.

"He can say no more." Kimmuriel stated coming out of his trance. Jarlaxle nodded slowly and stood up. He apologized to Hitori for forcing him to speak and for the pain he had caused. Hitori surprisingly smiled it off and said that he would live. He was happy to have been able to help. The companions left him a small pile of coins for the information and also to fool his boss into believing the concocted tale Hitori had given. They also left the half drow with a potion that would help him fall into Reverie.

"Where do we go from here?" Drizzt asked the mercenary.

"To the Underdark. We shall see if the illithids know anything about Kitana. They make it a point to watch the non-human races of power or so Kimmuriel has told me." Jarlaxle replied. He turned to the psionicist and told him to open a dimensional door to the illithid cavern. Kimmuriel put spells on Drizzt to guard his mind before doing as Jarlaxle commanded. They stepped through the door and into the chamber of an illithid Kimmuriel had known for some time.

"Welcome Kimmuriel Oblodra." it greeted him in its watery voice. Its tentacles quivered as it spoke. The three drow hid their disgust at the creature and prepared to speak with it. "You seek information." It was not a question.

"I wish to know about a girl on the surface." Kimmuriel stated back evenly. He was not at all frightened by the illithid and was comfortable dealing with it for the most part. "Her name is Kitana, she is an assassin from Calimport. She is not a human and I would know what she truly is."

"This girl you speak of is known to us." The illithid replied. It conjured an image of Kitana before them only not in her present form. Instead the woman in the long black cloak from the young woman's drawings stood before them. "This Kitana is an assassin as you say but she does not use her given name. She is as feared as the other assassin you are acquainted with. She kills with a silver dagger and poison on her lips, they are her trademark. Many have fallen to her blade, she has even managed to kill some of my own kind. You are correct in that she is not human. She is far superior, even to the drow."

Kimmuriel took the insult stoically. "What is she?"

"She is a demoness of the great dog clans. She is dangerous and powerful. Tell me Kimmuriel Oblodra, how do you know her?" The illithid's tentacles wriggled eagerly at the thought of new information.

"While traveling on the surface my employer found us a job of watching her for a noble woman. In her current state she is not so powerful as you say. She appears human."

The illithid let out a gurgling noise. "Her blood has been put to sleep by a poison. This poison was meant to turn her into a human but it failed. The humans who tried to use it were foolish. She is too strong for such simple methods. They do not know that it has not fully worked."

"There is a chance to return her into her proper form?" Kimmuriel asked masking his surprise.

The illithid made another gurgling noise. It reached a long fingered hand into its crimson robe and pulled out a grey stone. "In order to return to herself she must drink the blood of a certain individual. Only the blood of this person will change her. She craves blood though she has not spoken of it, it is the effort of her own blood to return to its true form. This is what is known most simply as a Seeker's Stone Kimmuriel Oblodra. Take it, it will assist you. Place her blood on it and it will glow for the one who's blood will return her to normal. But give her the blood with great care." The illithid warned. "The change will not happen immediately, but when it does it will happen fast. You may find that you will not be able to control her."

Kimmuriel and the others bowed to the illithid and left through another door, this one leading into Jarlaxle's quarters in Bregan D'aerthe. They would stay here a few days the mercenary declared.

Kimmuriel stared at the small stone in his hand. The illithid had handed it over to him so easily, illithids never did things so simply. There was more to the thing's actions then it had let on to. It knew her, but that was not surprising. His guess had been right that she was really a being of great power. But a demoness? Now they had even more to worry about. She could destroy them if she was awakened. "We must learn more about Kitana." Kimmuriel said turning to Jarlaxle. "There are yet things we need to find before we return to her and Entreri."

"Where do you suggest we look?" the older drow replied.

"She is an assassin from Calimport. We should look there and find out what happened to her. We must find these wizards, this is what Hitori was so confused about. How could human wizards have the correct poison for her if they did not know what she was to begin with? He was certain they did not know her nature."

"How will we find information about her? The illithid said she doesn't use her real name." Drizzt pointed out.

"That is true young Drizzt," Jarlaxle replied. "But he did give her trademarks. That is what we shall look for."

"Maybe Entreri would know her then." the ranger offered.

"Ah yes, Artemis. We must tell him what we have learned." Jarlaxle turned to Kimmuriel who opened a small communication portal into the assassin's mind. '_Artemis...'_ Jarlaxle called mentally. He got an angry thought as a response. _'Relax, it is me my friend.'_

_'What do you want?'_

_'To tell you what we have learned about Kitana.'_ Jarlaxle sensed the immediate change in the assassin's mind. Now he was quite interested. He asked what they learned. '_She is not seventeen or even human. She is an assassin from Calimport. The wizards needed her removed so they could take over another guild. We are going to see if we can learn more about her.'_ Jarlaxle ended the conversation there as Kimmuriel's spell was about to expire. He hoped he had been able to relay enough to the assassin, the perameters of the spell were severly limited. Entreri would not be happy if he did not get the full story. The mercenary knew that something was beginning to bud between Entreri and Kitana, he would get extremely defensive of her if he did not know everything. He was glad at least that he could offer his friend a little bit of relief though. Artemis would not feel so uncomfortable around her now that he knew she was not a child.

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It was well into the night when Entreri felt the intrusion into his mind. At first he tried to throw it off until the intruder identified itself as Jarlaxle. The annoying drow was relaying information to him as promised. He had been sleeping prior to the mental intrusion but now he was wide awake and staring at the sleeping Kitana wrapped in his arms.

She wasn't human. She was an assassin. She was from Calimport as he had thought. She wasn't seventeen.

Jarlaxle told him that she was really an assassin, he had not said much else other than that the wizards in her dream and in the city had needed her removed. Of course Jarlaxle had left out some information but it was not completely his fault, he was familiar with the spell the drow had used to contact him. Likely, Jarlaxle would contact him again and tell him more.

He didn't care so much now when his hand started to caress Kitana's smooth skin. He did not let his hands travel beneath her night shirt but the touch was enough to cause her to emit a pleasured sigh that drove him crazy. He wanted to wake her up and start kissing her again. Entreri chose not to though, even if he now knew she wasn't seventeen, she didn't. And either way he knew she would not appreciate the attention. Once again he forced himself down, though this time was much more difficult than before.

'She isn't seventeen...' he thought. But did that make his desires any less wrong?


	9. Chapter 8: Hunger

6/30/09

A/N: I know the whole name of 'Seeker's Stone' was kind of lame but I couldn't really think of anything else to put. Lets just mark it off as the illithid making itself feel more superior than the guys ok? I don't know if there's things like it in other places but I feel safe saying that in this particular incarnation it's mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co whatsoever and I never will. They are the property of Mr. Salvatore and I have no intentions of stealing them. Kitana, Hitori, the grandmother and anyone else you do not recognize are, or should be, mine unless you know them from some other place.

Warning: This story includes- Use of foul language, violent ideas, violence, sexual situations, inappropriate ideas, most likely inappropriate ideas and religion bashing- if you do not like any of these things I advise you to stop reading this right here so you don't get offended.

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Chapter Eight: Hunger

The room had been comfortably warm before, now it felt almost stifling. But that wasn't really surprising was it? Not with the way he had been fighting with himself in the last hour. Entreri let himself turn to look at the still sleeping Kitana. Jarlaxle had told him an hour ago and the report kept running through his mind, she wasn't seventeen. She wasn't seventeen.

But Jarlaxle hadn't told him how old she really was. What if she was younger? The thought caused him to shiver with disgust. He looked at her again, no she couldn't possibly be younger. Kitana was too well formed, too mature. Once again the assassin's gaze shifted over the slender body wrapped in his arms. Her long blonde hair was not braided anymore; she had forgotten to tie it off the previous night. Her pale neck looked perfectly kissable at the moment. Further down he could see the curve of her large breasts under her shirt, he wondered what they would feel like in his hands. Entreri slapped himself mentally once again. 'I have to stop thinking like this...'

Entreri chose to look himself over then. He knew that his breathing was a bit labored and he was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His shirt was sticking uncomfortably to him. He knew Kitana probably wouldn't care if he took it off, so he did, moving a bit awkwardly. Entreri did not want her to wake up with him in his current state, he would have no way to explain himself to her again. As it was, the assassin still had not found a way to apologize to her about the kiss three days ago. Artemis knew that he would not be able to give her an honest apology.

As if in uncanny response, Kitana pressed closer to him when he lay back down behind her. Entreri couldn't help himself this time and let out a low moan. His hand slipped back to her waist and grasped it tightly, pressing himself into her. Artemis let himself give her neck a small kiss while he deeply inhaled her sweet scent. He trembled with more desire than he had felt in a long time. He ran a hand up one of her legs enjoying the soft, perfectly smooth skin. She sighed in her sleep, was she actually enjoying this? She sighed again and woke up.

"Artemis?" She whispered groggily. "What are you doing?"

"I..I..." Artemis stuttered for one of the few times in his life. How could he possibly tell her? But she was waiting for an answer and he was caught. He knew he couldn't lie to her. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to say something again but no sound came out.

"Artemis?" Kitana asked again, this time more awake. Why wasn't he answering? And why were they pressed so closely together? But she knew that answer already didn't she? It was the same reason he had kissed her a few days ago. Kitana carefully turned over in his arms to face him. Artemis tried not to look so embarrassed but it was fairly obvious at this point. She didn't keep their bodies separate, instead the young woman threw a leg around his waist and pressed herself back against him. Kitana's gaze never left Artemis'; it did not leave when she felt him clearly between her legs. Entreri complied with her movements and shifted on the couch so he was lying on his back, she wordlessly settled herself on top of him. The assassin closed his eyes and licked his lips. She gently touched his neck, running over it with her fingertips making him stir a little more. Kitana asked herself why he had so suddenly changed his mind. She continued to lie there with her head on his shoulder.

Artemis tried not to get too excited about Kitana lying there on top of him. He failed miserably. He felt too good with her legs around him, he couldn't take it anymore. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her up to his face to kiss her. Artemis became unaware that his hands wandered under her shirt, they slipped up her back revealing that she was not wearing a bra. He lifted her up a little to squeeze one of her bare breasts and pausing to give the nipple a small pinch. He drew his tongue out of her mouth and ran it over her lips letting out a deep purring sound. Kitana let out a delighted gasp at the new feeling, she ground herself into his hardened member. Liking the reaction she was getting, Kitana chose to see exactly what he felt like. She slid her hand between her legs to touch his erection making him moan softly again. He thrust himself up into her hand letting himself enjoy being touched.

"Do you want this?" he asked her huskily. His half-lidded eyes held the look of the deepest longing. When she kissed him, he got the message and pulled her shirt off. Artemis looked over her almost naked form hungrily, yes this was exactly what he wanted. He sat up with her on his lap and kissed her again, his lust clearly evident in the action. They switched places and her hands quickly found their way into his pants and started stroking him again, he freed himself and tossed the unwanted garment onto the floor with her shirt. Her eyes widened seeing him completely naked on top of her. His hand traveled slowly from the base of her neck to her waist teasing fingers gingerly played with the front of her thong. He pulled it down as though savoring every inch they were removed, it was simply tossed to the floor as well.

Kitana spread her legs invitingly under him as his eyes continued to wander. For a moment he stared hard into her face, he was arguing with himself again. It passed quickly and he positioned himself at her entrance, rubbing himself against the soft, wet folds. Kitana let out a little mewling sound, he was the first man in a while. She had no idea when exactly the last one had been but she knew that it had probably been years somehow. She liked that Artemis was going slow, he was telling her that he wasn't going to hurt her and that he wanted this to last as long as possible. She arched her back and started rubbing the small bundle of nerves at the top of her entrance, her legs twitched with the excitement of the feeling. Artemis smiled and thrust into her. Her hips bucked under him taking him in deeper. Her hands clung to his strong shoulders, pushing him down so he would have to work harder.

The two fell off of the couch in their vigor, Artemis landed himself under Kitana and chose to stay there. His hands hugged her hips as she rode him slowly at first then their movements once again became fast and hard. They came simultaneously and she collapsed on top of him panting hard. Artemis once again claimed her in his arms and kissed her. They fell asleep together on the floor.

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_Day 234_

_Artemis made love to me last night and again this morning. He is sleeping right now. We went four times before he could no longer. I have never felt this way before and I find it extremely odd that I do now. I still feel that I know him from somewhere else but I still cannot place it. The other part of me does not care about that, his body is simply amazing and I cannot seem to get enough. He moves with such an easy confidence even though I can tell that he does not indulge in such pleasures often. The first time this morning we did it on the floor like last night. I don't recall ever not having to fight to be on top, I don't recall any men I have ever been with either. Not that it even matters. I could tell that he was slightly hesitant to have me on top of him, for a while he looked haunted like I was going to try to kill him or something. Maybe someone tried to like that..._

_The second time we were in the kitchen. Apparently he wanted a breakfast treat. I was half way through cracking the eggs when he bent me over the counter. I can barely believe that I haven't been properly dressed all day. I just threw my shirt on before we went downstairs. The third time we ended up under the dining room table, irony placed us in my grandmother's chair at first. We only realized it after._

_I'm still wondering why he changed his mind so fast. I watched him fight with himself for days after he kissed me the first time. Something must have shattered his resolution completely._

_--_

_Day 235_

_Three more times already and it's only noon. Artemis is asleep on the couch again. This makes two days of not being dressed all the way. I took a shower after we made love this morning, any clean scents have been completely lost at this point. The rug and couch smell like sex, not to mention me and Artemis. I like his scent though, musky but not dirty._

_He got some kind of message from the others a little while ago. They'll be back tomorrow, and coincidently, so will the stupid bitch. It has been a quiet few days. She said that she would be gone for a week, either she got tired or the trip had to end early. I don't really care, I'm alone with Artemis right now. I wonder what we're going to do when the others come back though. We could still sleep together like we were before but we will not be able to touch each other. That might not be entirely a bad thing....._

_Every time he touches me I can't stop staring at his neck. I'm not sure if he noticed. I feel the urge to bite him. I picture blood welling from a wound and myself licking it up. I've been craving blood for such a long time I have gotten used to it. But this is something entirely different, the hunger is so strong that a few times I actually thought I might bite him. I hope I don't. He's so gentle with me like no one else ever has been. He looks so cute when he's asleep too, I can't help but think that. There are none of the usual hatred lines on his face and no scowl. He's been mostly smiles in the last two days and it brings about an even more exotic beauty in his face._

_But this craving. I can't get rid of it. I want to know what it is so I don't hurt him._

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The others returned the next afternoon as promised. Jarlaxle loudly expressed his delight at being back in Kitana's presence. Especially after being in the presence of illithids and other monsters. Kitana merely rolled her eyes at him then asked why they had left in the first place.

"Ah, yes. That." Jarlaxle replied mysteriously. "We went to do some research on you."

"On me?" Kitana asked honestly surprised. "Why would you want to know about me? And what do illithids have to do with it?"

Jarlaxle looked directly at her. His firm look told her that she might not like what she was about to hear, but also that he was not going to lie. "We wanted to know about you for the same reasons you do. At least in part. There are also certain people here that you have mentioned seeing in your dreams. They know your grandmother."

"But what people are you talking about?" she asked softly. She believed that she might already know.

"The men in the red robes."

Kitana nodded slowly and sat down. For some reason she found that she was not able to stand. Artemis sat calmly next to her watching Jarlaxle. "Who are they?" Kitana asked the mercenary leader.

"Wizards from Calimport." he answered sitting down across from her. "Would you like to hear what we found about you?" Kitana nodded eagerly even though she knew she might not be completely ready. "Your name is the same as it is now, the wizards did not change that when they put you here. From what we were able to get out of Hitori they poisoned you somehow in an attempt to either kill you or turn you human. Our illithid informant told us that the poison failed to do both and there is a way to return you to your rightful self."

"Why would Hitori tell you and not me?" she asked feeling more than a little betrayed.

"He is under an enchantment." Jarlaxle explained. "Believe me he wanted to tell you but he could not. Kimmuriel found a way to manipulate the spell to allow him to speak for a short time, though some things remained limited."

Kitana nodded, she still didn't like the idea of Hitori not telling her but she could forgive him seeing that it wasn't his fault. "So...If I'm not human, then what am I?"

"You are a demoness." Jarlaxle told her. "The illithid said that you were from 'the great dog clans'. I have no idea what this means, but I suppose we will find out soon enough."

"How old am I really? And how do the wizards know me?"

"Hitori told us you are one hundred and two. The wizards know you because you are an assassin from Calimport. We were unable to find out specifically which one you are because you never used your real name. The illithid gave your trademarks but none we found in Calimport would, or could, tell us anything. They poisoned you because they needed you out of the way to take over a guild that you had been doing work for."

Kitana slumped back into the couch. A demoness? One hundred two? An assassin? This was a lot to take in at once. But now she knew the truth, or at least most of it. But things made more sense now, her dreams about killing the man who had stolen the gold from the guild master. The attempted assassination of the woman in the black cloak. The men in the robes. Most of it made sense now. "How do you plan on turning me back to normal?" she asked finally.

Kimmuriel took the small grey stone out of his cloak pocket. "Put your blood on this and it will glow for the person whose blood you need to turn back into a demoness." He said to her. He handed her a dagger to prick her finger with and she complied. Her blood hit the stone and it glowed a soft gold color before absorbing into the stone. After that it remained its original color. Kimmuriel looked at the stone a bit forlornly. "The illithid told me that it might take a little while to fully absorb your blood and work. Until then, we will have no way of knowing. I have no idea how long it will take." he added seeing the question on her face.

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Her grandmother returned a bit later in the evening. Kitana had already 'cleaned' the entry hall and the stupid bitch thought she had never stopped cleaning. She complimented the watchdogs on their wonderful job at keeping Kitana contained and doing what she was supposed to. Then she dropped the bomb at dinner.

"I am holding a formal party in my house." she declared happily to all at the table. "Gentlemen, you are most welcome to join. Kitana, you have no choice. You will go and you will be a proper lady. Everyone else has had formal parties and I have not been able to because of you. You will not ruin the night for me. The party will be in one week." She ended on that sharp note and the rest of dinner was silent. It was finished and cleared as usual and Kitana was once again escorted to her room by her watchdogs.

"Great." she said sarcastically. "Another party, just what I always wanted. That stupid bitch needs to get her filthy head out of her ass. She's just jealous that everyone else beat her to the parties."

"What are you going to do?" Drizzt asked.

She shrugged. "Go I guess. I don't really have much of a choice do I? But now I need another dress. Damn it, why does this always happen?" Kitana fumed. No one said anything as she vented. She had every right to be mad right now, she had too much to think about. Then, not wanting her to somehow hurt herself, Entreri held her steady and let her get calm. He sat her down on the couch and she stayed there for the rest of the night.

If they figured that things were bad already, they were proven wrong over the next couple days. Kitana's grandmother had become almost completely insufferable even to Jarlaxle. She was even more demanding than usual, Kitana was being forced to cook every little dish for the party. Not that anyone would know that, all outside conversation said that her grandmother was hiring a few chefs from the finest restaurant in Waterdeep. Kitana was almost to the point of tearing her hair out even though she didn't show it. Only Artemis was with her constantly and kept her from actually doing so.

"I'm sorry. I can help it. This is just way too much." she said on the verge of tears one night. The two were alone in the kitchen and it was well into the night. He gently put his arms around her and petted her hair. Kitana leaned gratefully into him

"Maybe you should take a break." Artemis whispered.

"I can't." Kitana replied almost helplessly. "She wants all of this done and if I stop there wont be enough here when she checks tomorrow. I don't need anymore yelling on top of everything else." She was referring to everything she had been told about herself.

"How will she know that you stopped for a bit? If you rested you would be able to do more." He held her out at arm's length and looked at her squarely. Her gaze faltered under his and she gave up. He pulled her back to himself. "I think you'll like what I have in mind." he whispered teasingly. Artemis picked her up and sat her on the counter. He kissed her deeply and started to remove her clothes.

"Are you sure we should be doing this here?" she asked softly. She looked at him demurely but he didn't stop. Her resolve was flying away with each word she said, however, and she let him continue.

"Don't you like the danger, love?" Artemis returned in the playful tone as before. "Your grandmother has gone to bed and none of the others are coming down here." He unlaced his pants and slid himself inside her. It had only been a couple of days since they had made love. Kitana reached up to one of the bars that held her pans for support while she wrapped her legs around him. Kitana felt herself relax completely, she hadn't realized how much she had missed Artemis' touch. It didn't feel like it had only been two days. Artemis was gentle like before they moved languidly enjoying every stolen moment. All pragmatism was thrown aside and though their tiny escapade only lasted fifteen minutes, it was enough.

"Do you feel better now?' he asked lazily while they fixed their clothes.

"Mmm...yes." She smiled wistfully and then turned to kiss him on the lips. "I should get back to work now." She turned back to her cooking pots and he stayed close behind her, keeping her calm and kissing her periodically. She managed to get enough done for the night and the two went upstairs and to bed together.


	10. Chapter 9: Blood of the Holy

6/14/09

A/N: Quick point out for your benefit - The way this chapter starts out is a little strange. There's regular dialogue but also thought italics alongside or after certain things people are saying. The italics are meant to be Kitana thinking what she thinks Father Macon is really saying when he speaks. It may get slightly confusing even if you are paying attention.

Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own Drizzt and Co. they belong to R.A. Salvatore. I have no intentions of stealing them at all. My own characters have been previously claimed and you should recognize them as mine by now. I think I may have killed most of my spelling errors.

WARNING: This story includes much of the following- Foul language, violent ideas, violence, religion bashing, mush, sexual situations, inappropriate subjects/situations, and most likely inappropriate subjects/situations. If you don't like any of those then please stop reading before you get offended.

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Chapter Nine: Blood of the Holy

This was one of those days that Kitana would rather forget. Sunday. Nothing wrong with this particular day of the week at all, it was the best cleaning day for sure. But not today. Not at the moment. At this point Kitana was sure that she would end up killing someone if Artemis wasn't sitting right there next to her, she was not about to forget that the others had been forced to endure this as well. If it was possible, Artemis was in a much worse mood than she was.

Kitana looked around the room for maybe the tenth time that hour. She was deeply offended by the twenty rows of neat little benches, the high arching ceiling and the painted windows. She hated the people sitting in those benches, praying like obedient little dolls. Each one of them had an expression of ignorant bliss painted on their face, they were perfectly happy to believe in the meaningless words of another hopeless fool. Kitana hated that fool the most.

Father Macon stood proudly behind the church's alter. Behind him a cross and the scales and sword of the god Tyr. By all accounts, Tyr was a goodly god. The god of justice. Kitana did not doubt this, nor did she hate this god. She didn't like to believe in deities and would never give herself to one, but she did understand that they could not be completely ignored. She hated Father Macon because he called himself the messenger of the Just God, he wasn't really. Like most who called themselves profits, he was in it simply for the glory the position of priest afforded. After all, how many people came to a priest and confessed everything about themselves to a priest in total confidence that he would never tell? How many more wasted their entire lives before the church falling to the whims of priests, throwing away their fortunes or actually hard earned pay just to be 'saved'? It was extremely foolish in Kitana's opinion, she could not understand how people could be that stupid.

A glare from her grandmother forced Kitana to continue 'paying attention' to the pretend priest.

Father Macon puffed out his chest as he had been doing frequently throughout the entire sermon. "The gods smile upon those who hear their will. Their followers will always be Blessed for they are the true future of the world. Without the gods the world would be meaningless and therefore we must always give to them."

_'You people are fools believing in me. But give me everything and I will give you the pretense of salvation.'_

"In order to survive we must sacrifice all that we do not need. Luxuries that would be better off in the hands of someone else. The more you give to the church, the more you give to the gods. Thus we shall be redeemed in their eyes and all sins will be forgiven."

_'I want all of your money, all of your fine things for myself. The more you give to me the more lies I shall feed you with your hopes.'_

"Those who give will become the very blood of the holy. By giving we give our god life and in return he gives us everything we have. We must lose all of our negativities, our hatred, our greed. Let us instead sanctify that which has value to the Just God. Justice, order and love."

_'You will all die poor before me but I care nothing for any of you. I will walk away with everything and you will fall with nothing. Give me everything and I will tell you that you will live.'_

The priest ended his lecture on that note. The people in the church all stood and applauded, except Kitana and her watchdogs. They sat there with mouths full of bile wanting nothing more than to leave this vile place and move on with the day. It seemed, however, that three hours was not enough torture. Kitana's grandmother decided to stay another hour talking to people. Naturally she was gushing about how wonderful the sermon had been and there was no one anywhere around here that was as good as him and he was such a fine man. It made Kitana want to gag.

She looked up when she heard her grandmother speaking to Jarlaxle.

"Would you accompany me to a small private luncheon? Many of my friends would just love to speak with you."

Jarlaxle threw her a smile, aptly hiding the fact that he wanted nothing more than to vomit at the moment. He agreed to go anyway, he could not afford to look bad right now with the chance of returning Kitana to normal so close. The others, unfortunately, had no choice in the matter either. Kitana was to be left at home to clean as she was 'undeserving of such a privilege.' Not that she cared all that much.

They returned to the mansion shortly thereafter. The grandmother went to her room to change while Kitana retreated to the kitchen. She would not be forced to remain inside her room this time incase someone came to the door. If someone did she was to let them in and entertain them until her grandmother returned. If it was just a messenger then she was to write down anything they said and relay the information to her grandmother. Nothing different than normal.

Her grandmother came down the stairs smiling dubiously. The stupid bitch had no idea how much everyone hated her. Her long gown was perfectly garish, its like green and rose pink colors clashed horribly and her abundant middle section was obviously stuffed into it. Completely oblivious to everyone else's thoughts she stepped across the room merrily and she left with the watchdogs. Kitana sighed out loud as the door slammed shut, she wished that at least one of them could have stayed. She sat on the floor scrubbing but not really making the effort to actually clean anything. Kitana lost track of all time so she was not sure when the doorbell rang thunderously throughout the house. She didn't bother straightening herself up as she walked to the door, it wouldn't matter what she looked like to the person on the other side anyway, they all thought of her as a monster and that thought would never change. Kitana opened the door and upon seeing who was there her expression turned angry and full of hate. Father Macon flinched at her acid glare, he came in anyway.

"Now Kitana, I thought perhaps I would speak with you again. I saw how angry you looked at my lecture this morning and I was hoping I could change your mind." He smiled but the look was sickening to Kitana. For some reason she chose that moment to breathe in deeply, inhaling the pungent aroma of the disgusting man's cologne. Either he was wearing far too much or her senses had gotten sharper. But there was more. A soft metallic smell, like zinc. And it was sweet...so sweet...

Kitana felt something stir within her veins. She felt her anger dwindling into something else. And she knew this feeling. It was the one she had when Artemis made love to her only there was no potential for emotional attachment here, only the desire to bite. Father Macon stepped precariously forward having no idea of the danger he was in.

"Now Kitana, surely you must understand how much someone like you needs the power of the gods. You could be so much more if you would just give in and hear their words." He reached his hand out thinking to grab hers, she pulled away almost violently. "Shh...Do not fear me Kitana." the priest whispered. He spoke her name sharply, as though he was hating himself for having to use it. "There is no need to fight. I only wish to help you." He reached his hand out again and tried to brush his fingers through her hair. Kitana snarled at him, baring her teeth and slapped his hand away again. The priest stood there gaping, he was not used to young women not accepting his touch. The fool lunged forward. If she would not obey then he would have her as he wanted.

Kitana's blood pulsed, there was no other way to describe it. It felt the danger. She did not want the priest anywhere near her and definitely not on her. He was disgusting. Not like Artemis. He didn't care and wanted nothing more to hurt her and make her bend to his will. She would not stand for it. Somehow she knew that biting him would not be wrong. How many other women had he attempted this on? How many of them had been her supposed age or younger? He sickened her, but she did not doubt that his blood would taste good. Her eyes drifted to the junction of his neck as she sidestepped and he fell to the floor behind her. She spun around to kick him in the belly, he curled into a fetal position with the impact of her foot into his gut. He was too stupid to stop there. Once again he was on his feet, once again he was lunging at her. Kitana braced her footing and chose not to move this time. She had him where she wanted. He crashed into her painfully and she locked him into a deadly embrace. He struggled to get away still not knowing what she was going to do or how she was suddenly so strong. Kitana bit down as hard as she could and dreamily felt her teeth break through his skin like daggers. Her hands clawed, clutching him in a vice like grip making him feel fear like he never had before. It was a sweet spice to her. The harder he fought, the happier she became. His blood poured endlessly into her eager mouth, she was on fire. She felt a strange sense of power returning. No, not returning, it had been there all along. It was waking up again. There was nothing but her and the delicious taste of the blood for many moments. Kitana remained aware enough to feel that the priest had stopped moving. She pulled her mouth away gasping loudly for air not caring that she had blood dripping from it or that her front was almost completely covered.

She pushed the corpse away. She looked at the pitiful form that had been so easy to kill even while she was not really herself. He would not be able to hurt anyone again or spread anymore of his lies. She smiled smugly at the body, how pathetic he was. A strange feeling sprouted from deep within her belly, coiled like a snake ready to strike its prey. Her smile widened and she threw her head back wildly. She fell to the floor laughing.

Kitana did not hear the soft footsteps of her watchdogs returning. She was too caught up in her volatile laughter. All eyes widened when they found the bloodless corpse. Entreri ran to Kitana to see if she was alright. Jarlaxle and Drizzt went to check on the priest. They had known the man was dead even before they ran to him but that did not stop them from wanting to see what caused it. The empty wound on the man's neck was more than enough of a give away. They looked over to Kitana who had ceased her laughing. The blood covering her mouth and shirt was more than enough. It was sickening to say the least but they knew they should have been ready for it. She smiled weakly at them almost as if to say that she didn't know why she did it and she could not have helped herself.

Jarlaxle looked over to Kimmuriel -whose face bore a grave expression- was holding something in his hand. It was glowing the deep gold color as the illithid had promised it would.

Kitana's head was spinning. Everything had become a wonderful array or colors, but one thing remained still. Though the body of the priest was almost completely blurred, an object on his belt was not. Its aura writhed around it calling her to come look. It was hers it was saying. It wanted to be away from the foul man who had thought to use it for his disgusting purposes. Kitana knew that she was not about to stand. She rolled off of Artemis' lap and crawled over to the body and her hand quickly found what she was looking at. It tenderly gripped the well worn leather handle and pulled the weapon effortlessly from the dead man's still form. The whip that the priest had given her grandmother to beat her with because ordinary ones didn't work. Her whip, she knew it was. It had tried to tell her that during the beating though she had not understood it at the time. Had it been used against anyone else, it would have killed them after the first few lashes. it told her that and also apologized to its mistress for haven been apart of the beating. She forgave it knowing it hadn't had much of a choice.

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_It was too hot and too cold at the same time. She could feel everything changing. And the laughter was back. Cold, high and very masculine. But she knew it could not hurt her now. Not again. She forced herself to focus. What was he laughing about again?_

_The desert came back into view. The city of Calimport loomed before her though she remained unfazed. It was her home and the wise here feared her._

_The streets around the guild houses were dark and often crowded. This day was no exception. No sooner than she had finished that thought her ears picked up the ring of steal. Alley fights were frequent enough. She could have ignored it but it was directly in her path. She approached the area silently, slipping into the shadows so she would not be seen. The combatants were simple street thugs, a woman at the other end of the alley seemed to be the object of the dispute. A prostitute most likely. She did not have time for these people. The prostitute's eyes widened momentarily and she realized her mistake. She had leaned too far out of the shadows and had been spotted. She retreated quickly and was not seen by the people in the alley again._

_She entered the guild house on the request of one of the lesser guildmasters. Normally she didn't involve herself in these affairs but she needed information from this particular one. She would do her part and then get what she wanted. The guildmaster swallowed hard upon seeing her, he was uneasy in the presence of one so powerful. But he did not know just how powerful. The job was fairly simple he said. He apologized for it being so beneath her but he needed only the finest assassins for his work right now. He was at war with another guild. The man was working in between his guild and the one he was at war with, stealing gold in the process. He needed that gold back as quickly as possible and the thief needed to die. He would give her anything she wanted in return for her services. She left the guild house wordlessly only wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible._

_On the way out she passed the house wizard. The man glared at her briefly but held his tongue. Like any wise person, he knew that if he said even the slightest thing wrong he would be dead. She said nothing to him, she didn't care enough to. When she was back out on the street she took out the small piece of parchment the guildmaster had handed to her. Her target lived in the part of the city she had just gone through. She passed a large group of begging children. She ignored them as well. Some part of her wanted to help them but she thought it better to not tease them, anything she gave them would be taken away by someone else._

_Her target lived in a small, ramshackle hut by the sea. He was not at home and she chose to wait rather than go out and look for him. Her patience was rewarded a few hours later when he returned. He heaved a bag heavy with gold onto the hut's flimsy table which almost collapsed under its weight. She took note of that fact but remained hidden. The man was clearly drunk and there would be no satisfaction in this job. She preferred to kill the people in the higher levels of society. Everything about this man was sickening, death would be a favor. But she needed the information. She stepped out finally and he never even heard her dagger whistling through the air as it made for his back. He fell to the ground oblivious to the fact that he had even been killed. She wiped his blood on his filthy trousers and left with the gold._

_She made her way back to the guild house uneventfully. No one stopped her as she entered the plain looking building. She ignored the riches surrounding her as she had before and took her payment without incident. She left as silently as she came. In the alley behind the guild house a large man lunged at her. She knew he had been there the entire time and spun to meet him head on, cutting a thin smile across his throat. She looked down at the body and recognized him as a member of the guild house she had just left. She left him on the front steps with a deep red lip print burned into his cheek. The guildmaster had been foolish to cross her._

_She made her way into the streets again and entered a tavern she was well familiar with. Likewise the halflings of this guild knew her well. She was about to open the door to go in when a dark haired man stepped out. She moved out of his way, giving the space he rightly deserved. Artemis Entreri, King of Assassins. She admired him deeply. She watched him go but he did not so much as glance at her. She was used to it having had to follow him around occasionally. She didn't stay in the tavern long, someone approached her with a message from the same guildmaster. Her senses hinted that there was something wrong but she chose to ignore it for the time being. Within moments she was back at the guild house. A dart pierced through her cloak and she felt the cold burn of the poison. But how had they known to use that one? The wizard laughed thinking he had gotten her out of the way. But she didn't die._

_Seeing a possible mistake he had his underwizards remove her. She was now in a place near the city of Waterdeep. They had no idea she knew much of what was going on. But she could not fight them. The wizards took her to one of the places she lived. They hired some random noblewoman to pose as her grandmother while pretending to be her father and uncle. She was stripped of everything she had and they cast the illusion that she had come to know in the last six months._

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Kitana woke naked and sweating heavily. She was on her couch, in her room. Covered thoughtfully by a thick blanket and the fireplace was lit. She looked around everything now perfectly clear within her vision. And now she knew how she got here.

The others all sat up anxiously waiting for her to tell than that she was alright.

"I'm fine now." she answered their question. "I remembered a lot is all."

"Will you tell us what happened?" Jarlaxle asked.

"Which part?" There was a lot that had happened.

"I mean will you tell us how you got here in the first place." the mercenary explained.

Kitana shook her head. "No, not yet. I need one of you to do something for me right now." They gave her their undivided attention. "I had armor. Black leather and magically imbued. I need to have that back and I need one of you to get it for me."

"Do you know where it is?" Drizzt asked. "I'll get it."

She motioned for one of them to hand her some paper and a pencil. When she had them in hand Kitana drew a rough map of where her dreams told her it was in the house. She handed it to the drow ranger and he left the room.

Drizzt looked at the map that was fairly straightforward. Down the hall from Kitana's room. Five doors and then to the left wing. Last door at the end of the hall. Drizzt tried to open the door but found that it was locked. He carefully pulled a lockpick from his belt pouch, he had the door open after several seconds of trying. There was a small jolt of magical energy when he pushed through, for one of the few times in his life he was glad that he was born drow. The magical resistance that came with his race had just saved him. The armor was in the center of the room, guarded by more wards. The wards were meant only to keep Kitana out and Drizzt was able to grab the entire suit swiftly and without setting anything off. Back in Kitana's room he handed her the armor after gaining the confirmation that it was indeed hers. She did not put it on but thanked him for getting it and went back to sleep.

The others did not sleep that night. They merely continued to watch her for any signs of her change. Their instincts shuddered with the sense that something very bad was about to happen and they would be there when it did. The illithid's warning flashed through their minds (at least those who had been there to hear it). When she changed, the might not be able to stop her. But she wouldn't attack them, would she?


	11. Chapter 10: Vengeance

7/28/09

A/N: Ok I know that it's mean to gloat but, you weren't expecting that were you? You thought that it would be Artemis. That's ok, I did too before I changed my mind to a more ironic idea. Let us continue on then because things are going to get slightly more interesting.

Disclaimer: Drizzt and Co belong to R.A. Salvatore and not me. I have no intentions of stealing them and also no real means to do so. All of my characters have been previously claimed.

Warning: This story includes- violent ideas, violence, religion bashing, inappropriate ideas/situations and most likely inappropriate ideas/situations. If you don't like any of these I can't understand why you are still reading this and advise you to stop right now before you get offended.

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Chapter Ten: Vengeance

More and more flashes of memories raced through Kitana's mind. Each one became more short and more blurred than the last. As much as she tried to hold onto these she could not and knew vaguely that she was going to wake up. At last another clear one, she saw herself falling to the ground as she was looking out onto one of the nicer streets of Calimport. She saw Artemis running down it in a disguise, he was worried and she tried to call out to him but her voice was pitiful and he never heard. Then she could see no more.

Instead the dim light of a few candles washed over her closed eyes, Kitana did not feel like getting up but she knew she had to. The party was tonight. Slowly Kitana sat up on her couch pulling her blanket up to cover her slender, naked form. For a moment she panicked, why was she naked? Then she remembered that she had given up on modesty for the sake of some comfort. Next to her a pile of her usual clothing sat neatly folded and waiting for her if she wanted to get dressed. She saw that Artemis was lying on the floor next to the couch, sleeping for the first time in days. Drizzt sat across from her awake and with an inquisitive look on his face. Jarlaxle was most likely downstairs helping with the last minute finishing touches. Kimmuriel had probably been dragged along with him. Perhaps in an uncanny response, the mercenary leader silently stepped into the room. Upon sensing his entry Artemis woke and sat up glaring. Jarlaxle ignored the look and immediately started speaking to Kitana.

"I have something for you," he said as he pulled something out of his pack. "It is from Hitori, he said it was yours and asked me to give it back to you." He handed her the bundle and watched her unravel it curiously. It was a dress, much like the one Entreri had bought for her. The only difference was that the torso of the dress was complete and carried a few flower ornements. The black material stretched easily without losing its shape. The skirt of the dresss was scarlet and layered with black at the bottom fringe. Clearly it was designed to have something worn under it. The torso could also be taken off and the ornaments removed to be put on as something else. A cape perhaps.

Kitana stared at the dress vaguely recognized it but knew that it was hers. "Will you hand me my armor please?" she asked Jarlaxle. He turned and walked over to the closet where she had left the armor. Gingerly he removed it from its hangings and brought it to her along with the pair of boots that were also in the closet. Kitana stood and pulled on her undergarments not really caring if the others saw her so exposed. The armor was in separate pieces that zipped together at the waist, the zipper would be covered by her belt and pouches. She pulled the tight pants on and then the corset like top. Whoever had removed her armor had tangled the laces horribly and they needed to be reset. Kitana went about this task silently, with each lace she fixed she felt more like herself. She pulled the top on like a vest and laced and tied the front; between the leather cords hints of her torso were teasingly revealed. The belt and boots went on without any hassle, her long slivery-blonde hair was rebraided.

Entreri stared at her in blank wonder. They were told that she was an assassin, now she looked the part. The tight black leather suited her looks well, complimenting her form. He watched her remove the flowers from the dress and pull it over her head. She pulled on the skirt to fit comfortably over her armor and attached the flowers to their rightful places. Now she looked like a Calishite noble woman. Her last touch was a clear gloss she found in one of her pouches, she applied it with a brush to her lips then replaced it as though she had never had it. Kitana turned to them gracefully and told them that they should go down to the party now. The guests were here and her grandmother was going to start screaming if they didn't appear soon. They all filed out of the room and descended the stairs into the ballroom.

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Kitana could feel that something was amiss. It felt wrong and she felt as though she was in some kind of unseen danger. Her blood began to pulse again. Something told her to shift her gaze to the other side of the ballroom as she was walking down the stairs. What was it, she wondered. The people in the ballroom talked, ate and danced happily. There was no reason to be uneasy. She hated these people, yes, but there was nothing to fear from them.

Her grandmother met them at the bottom of the stairs, her gown was meant to be a billowing display but this was sadly not the case. It rumpled badly around her, once again to Kitana she looked like a pig, painted and dressed for a circus. The woman was frivolous in her belief that she looked good. "Ah, gentlemen," she said as she looked over Kitana. Though unable to hide her jealousy and disgust with the young woman, she could not hide the fact that she was impressed with her appearance either. "You have done a marvelous job with her tonight. Wherever did you find that dress? She actually looks somewhat respectable." She smiled acidly as she spoke, there would never be any hiding her hatred. It was inevitable that she would loathe the fact that wherever Kitana went she turned heads causing men and women alike to take their attention away from her. She dismissed Kitana and her watchdogs without another word. As she walked away she said loudly, "Where is dear Father Macon?" One of her friends turned to her and replied that he had not been seen for at least a week. That conversation was quickly cut off by other, seemingly more pleasant things like the party favors. "If Kitana could cook like this," one person said, "you would never have anything to worry about. Which Waterdhavian chef did you hire?"

Her grandmother went on to describe that she had hired only the finest one and that he had tried to give Kitana lessons but she had completely refused and had to be sent out of the kitchen. The grotesque woman seemed to bloat even more with all of the received attention. She soon forgot that most of the party was not looking at her, but the one they had all deemed a monster.

Kitana and her watchdogs chose to sit inconspicuously at one of the corner tables. When more of the young men from before approached them, they were rebutted with an even more intense anger than before. While she did not yell, the look in her eyes was no less fear inducing. Kitana herself gazed idly over the party. There was still something wrong here. She felt a sudden urge to look for her grandmother and when her eyes found her they also found something literally from her nightmares. They stood proudly, though they were nervous, next to her grandmother speaking in a clearly business like manner. The men in the robes. The wizards. How had she not seen them before? Kitana's head swam with the sudden urge to be gone from the ballroom. But she could not, she had to stay. Her blood was boiling again, they were the ones who had put her here. This was their fault. It was their fault that she had been stuck here for the better part of six months as a disgusting woman's slave, humiliated endlessly by the stupid people of the town. And it was the peoples' fault too. They had enjoyed every moment of her misery. Her head spun faster. These people were vile, all of them. She hated them more than anyone else could possibly imagine. She had been here far too long as a prisoner of these fools who had no idea who they were dealing with. They needed to pay.

Kitana's breathing became noticeably labored. The companions watched anxiously not taking their eyes away. She was changing now and they knew it. Her hands gripped the table so tightly they were white knuckled and small dents were slowly forming in the wood. She sat up perfectly straight, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Kitana exhaled and looked directly at the wizards. Her jaw clenched. Her hands released the table and she stood bringing her hands to her waist and to the handle of the whip she had hidden in the skirt of her gown. Her eyes held a deep red tinge. Her hand trembled slightly as though she was fighting with herself. The companions looked to each other wearily knowing that they could not stop anything that was about to happen.

It was their fault...Their fault that she was here. Their fault that she had been made a slave to someone so revolting. It was all their fault...They deserved this. They deserved to die. They needed to. Kitana let out a feral growl alerting a few people near her that she was no longer fit to be around them. But it didn't matter, they were going to get what they deserved. Kitana's grip tightened on the whip's handle willing it to action, it lashed out violently and hit the townsperson standing nearest her. The man fell helplessly to the floor clutching his throat futilely trying to hold in his lifeblood. She killed five more before the people finally realized what was going on. The ballroom was soon filled with a cacophony of screams and the sound of gurgling blood. A few people thought they were lucky to have reached the door but it slammed in their faces by some unseen power, they were trapped like the rats they truly were. Kitana's face was blank as her hands found them, the people saw only the hatred in her eyes and their deaths as she stalked in on each of them. A few were foolish enough to believe they could restrain her, her claws ripped through them easily. The last town person fell to the floor having had his throat torn out.

"You monster!" her grandmother screamed. "I knew you were a filthy beast!" She turned to the companions. "Don't just stand there, kill h-" The attempted command was cut off by a silver dagger pointed at her throat. One of the wizards stood close by and tried to cast a spell, Kitana's whip took out his tongue and half of his head. The grandmother screamed as the body slumped to the floor and the top half of the head landed at her feet. The other wizard fell to the marble floor with a wide gash across his middle. "Please-please don't kill me!" her grandmother stammered. "I give you whatever you want!" she shrieked. "Anything!"

Kitana turned to face the woman slowly, her eyes reverted to their normal color. "I'm through with you." she answered calmly. "You cannot give me anything, there is nothing you have here that isn't mine. You have done far too much to ever be forgiven by any means."

"No!" the noblewoman tried again. "You can't kill me. They made me do it." She tried to look innocent.

Kitana cocked her head to the side. "I don't doubt that." she said flatly. "But you are wrong, I can kill you." She emphasized this point by slamming the dagger through the woman's fatty throat and giving it a sharp twist. She died instantly, even though a slow death would have been far more satisfying. Kitana would have drawn it out like she wanted to but for the images once more flashing through her mind. Without realizing what she was doing she ran to the stairs and to her room. The barrier was no longer their with the death of the wizard. Her claws found her notebooks. Truth? Lies? Did it even matter? She was free wasn't she? But there was more. She had seen much more. There were more than the two wizards. There was Calimport. What happened in Calimport? Her mind was racing, what happened? What the hell happened? Kitana screamed in some emotion she could not tell. Everything in the house was an enemy. It mocked her. It had to be destroyed. Bits of paper and wood flew wildly around the room as she tore apart the desk. The sound of ripping cloth sounded loudly in her ears, the frame of the couch was crushed to splinters under the weight of her rage. Doors were blown out of their frames and shattered like the glass of the windows.

The room was in complete tatters but Kitana could no longer see it. Before her was the same guild house as from her dreams. She had seen it so many times without fully knowing why. But she knew now that this was where it started. She was standing completely still when her watchdogs found her, she did not react to their presence.

_Kitana was in the guild house again. She passed the house wizard as she was leaving, cautiously watching the leering look her gave her. The door to the guildmaster's room closed loudly behind her and she could hear the muted whispers of the two men inside. Her sensitive ears only picked up the single word 'attack' and nothing else. She did not think anything of it. Guildmasters were always planning to attack people. The left the guild house and fought off the fool sent to kill her as she had before. She was in the tavern of the halflings again. The messenger flashed by as did her passing by Artemis on the way out. She was back at the guild house though it was much later in the day._

_The main door thundered shut behind her. No one walked through the halls and she was put immediately on her guard. She walked to the guildmaster's chamber carefully and opened the door. Inside the guildmaster sat slumped over in his chair, obviously dead._

_"You see what I have done here?" the cold, drawling voice came from the other side of the room. "A pity my soldier did not kill you, and you know of course that I cannot let you leave here. However, I also know that you will not join me. I have sources that know all about you." The cold laugh came as always. The poison burned. The wizard lifted her and threw her out the window and she crashed to the street below barely hanging onto her life. She saw Artemis as he ran away in his disguise. She stuttered the first syllable of his name a few times before getting out completely and fell into darkness._

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Kitana regained her vision and stared into her bedroom that had been turned into shambles. Her watchdogs stood uneasily behind her.

"Are you alright now?" Artemis asked softly. He still found it hard to believe that she had created the carnage in the ballroom. She wouldn't hurt him too, would she?

Kitana turned to him gracefully and brought her hand up to caress his cheek. "I'll be alright." she whispered. "I saw everything." Her hand slid from his face and she started to walk away from him and the others. "We're not done here, the other wizard is still alive and now we need information." For the second time that night she descended the staircase and stepped into the ballroom. The wizard was trying pitifully to stand so he could escape. Kitana roughly pulled him up from the floor and threw him against a wall.

"Tell me what you are doing here." She demanded. The wizard refused to speak and she picked him up and threw him again.

"We were watching you!" he gasped at last. "The head wizard told us to take you away and watch you and the half drow!"

"What head wizard?" Kitana squeezed his throat to further intimidate him then let go for him to speak.

"The house wizard of House Del'amure. Now the guildmaster of the same. He killed the other, weak master and replaced him. We all bow to him now." He tried to struggle out of her grasp.

"Why did he poison me?"

"You will fall, foul demon. You are no match for my master. He will simply poison you again and this time you will die." He attempted to spit in her face but missed sorely. He would say no more, not that Kitana really cared. She knew who had poisoned her now, she didn't need this wizard. He tried again to spit at her and she slashed his throat with her claws.

Kitana left the body there and turned to leave the house. At first it looked like her watchdogs were about to ask why she had killed the wizard but they gave up on the idea if that was the case. They followed her without a word out the door and down the street. The town was empty now except for one place. They noticed now for the first time that there were no children here. In the darkness the church took on a haunting look. It looked hellish and loomed with a heavy blackness that radiated a sickening feeling.

"There's one more thing I have to do here." Kitana stated and she pushed through the heavy double doors.

The church was dark all but for a few candles near the alter. She broke that in half first. Hearing the noise a few acolytes raced out into the grand hall. They saw nothing and only heard the crack of Kitana's whip as their throats were slashed evenly and they fell. She stepped silently into the farthest back room of the church; she could smell now that her suspicions were correct. The scent of stale sex and male arousal polluted the air filling her lungs. A deep, masculine moan reached her ears and so too did the cry of a small child. She opened the door, the boy was eight perhaps. The priest was just pulling on his clothing while he left the boy on the floor bleeding. Kitana recognized this child, he was one of the church boys sent in from Waterdeep to learn to be a priest. He wept into the blanket that was barely enough to cover his small, emaciated body. He did not see her, nor did the other three priests in the room who cheered on the one who had just taken the boy. Kitana stepped out of the shadows making a noise to alert them to her presence. One of them demanded to know what she was doing here. Her answer was a dagger in his chest. The others tried to attack and were all killed exactly the same way. She castrated their corpses in a final act of vengeance against them.

The boy cowered under the covers unsure of what to think or do. Kitana gently handed him some clothing, it wasn't much but it would be enough for him. The boy put them on gratefully then looked up at her in question.

"Go to the merchants at the edge of town." She told him. "They go to Waterdeep in the morning. Go home and do not return here, there will be nothing left. They cannot harm you anymore."

The boy nodded obediantly and ran to the merchants as Kitana had ordered. Upon seeing the boy they chose to leave that instant, taking him along with them in one of their loaded wagons. When she was sure they were gone Kitana threw the lit candles into the fragile curtains of the church. They were instantly set aflame and fell to the floor and the benches. Kitana walked out calmly and nodded to the companions who had seen the boy leave. Kitana touched a small stone on her armor and her hand glowed and soon held a small fire, she unleashed it on the entire town. Kitana and the companions left the place running south. The fire would last far into the night and well into the morning. She was free now, but there was still much she had to do. The wizards here had not been the ones in control, she had to take out their leader.


	12. Chapter 11:Where From Here?

9/7/09

A/N: Ok for once I'm writing this after the chapter. I had a really good muse when I started a month ago and then it was dead for a while until now by some random whim. This chapter is supposed to be a little more filler and explains a good deal of what was going on before, I just thought you should know.

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co. I think we all know that by now so lets just get on with this because I'm sure you know my characters by now as well.

Warning: Violence, violent ideas, inappropriate situations/ideas, most likely inappropriate situations/ideas

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Chapter Eleven: Where From Here?

Kitana collapsed not long after they had started running. The transformation had taken too much out of her for her to keep up their rapid pace for long. Thus, at the moment, Entreri was now carrying her bridal style as they pressed forward. He knew he was most likely giving away much more that he would like but he didn't really care at the moment; all he wanted right now was to keep Kitana safe.

The companions were only a few miles from Waterdeep where they had made the unspoken decision to stay until Kitana recovered. The road as normally dangerous and filled with many threats, but for some strange reason nothing came at them. They had been able to pick out a few orcs in the distance but their movements had been weary as though they knew that there was something even bigger and more powerful than the three drow accompanying the human male with the sleeping girl in his arms. Did they know what Kitana was? The thought made the assassin hold her closer to his chest, they were not going to get her if they did know what she really was. He would make sure of that.

If they had not been on the run, Entreri would have stopped to contemplate his strange feelings. Part of him registered that he had no idea what he was really doing at the moment and he did know that it was very unlike him to care so much about another. His other, more pragmatic side, demanded he stop that foolish way of thinking and focus on the task immediately ahead of them. That side won and he hurried on along with the others.

Amazingly, the companions made it to Waterdeep in only a few hours; a feat that was not normally accomplished without the aid of horses. But they were determined above all else, to end the threat still facing Kitana. They took shelter in a small, out of the way inn on the eastern side of the city. A soft drizzle of rain had begun to form around them and was growing, albeit slowly, into a storm. If they were lucky it would be gone soon. It was early in the morning now, six hours had past since the massacre in the ballroom. Kitana had not woken and the companions were not comfortable with this. Entreri hated this most of all, he had not once put her down even though his arms ached with the strain of not being moved much for several hours. Kitana was far from heavy but his muscles hated the inactivity. He went up into one of the rooms they had acquired with no small help from Drizzt's reputation, and gently lay the still sleeping Kitana on the bed that was surprisingly soft. He wanted to lie there with her more than anything but thought better of the action and sat in the chair next to the bed instead. She rolled over showing the first signs of life besides breathing she had in a while. Unconsciously, his hand reached out to grasp hers.

He studied her hand gently, it was smaller than his, obviously. It was much softer, though now he could easily see the signs of long repeated weapon use. The calluses remained minor but still gave her hand a softly weathered feel that he enjoyed. Closer inspection of her nails yielded the fact that they were now much longer and sharper than before. Entreri briefly entertained the notion of taking out his dagger and comparing the tips. Her lips twitched in a hint of a smile, was she enjoying this? Entreri recalled from their love making that she liked having her hands touched. His fingertips danced lightly over hers and she let out a small purr. The assassin sighed unconsciously and moved to lay partially atop her. His lips brushed over hers in a semblance of a kiss. He gently ran the thumb of his other hand over her lips and then kissed her again, this time more full and needy. "Please wake up." he murmured as he broke away from Kitana. His hand caressed her face again as he sat up in the chair.

The warning footsteps of the others brought him out of his trancelike state.

"How is she?" Drizzt asked as he was the first to enter the room. Jarlaxle followed, uncommonly silent after.

"Well as far as I can see. I have no idea when she will wake." Entreri answered letting his weariness show through his voice.

Jarlaxle gave him a soft, understanding look. "Get some rest my friend. We will be in the next room should you need us." He gave Entreri's shoulder a light squeeze before turning to leave the room. Drizzt nodded respectfully and left with the older drow. Entreri only looked away from his closed door when he heard his companions' door close a short way down the hall. His gaze instantly returned to Kitana who was now slightly curled as though waiting for him to join her and looking terribly tempting. Without fully realizing what he was doing, Artemis climbed onto the bed next to her taking Kitana into his embrace as he had many times before. He gently removed her soaked armor and cloak in effort to make her more comfortable and set them to dry on a nearby dresser. Afterwards, he held her tightly, silently pleading with her to wake up soon.

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The wizard Delmorae peered evenly into his crystal ball. What he saw did not please him at all. He had been trying to contact his underlings all day but to no avail, the fact that the ballroom lay in bloody shambles only served to show that something was very wrong. Delmorae could sense the power within the room as though it had been unleashed in his own chambers. His frail body shuddered ominously, this power could only mean one thing. He scryed through the rest of the ballroom and found his underlings among the dead; one with the top half of his head missing and the other with several deep gouges in his neck and a single blade wound in the chest.

The wizard shook off most of his unease. Perhaps it was not as he thought, he had wrongly assessed things before now. Perhaps some other demon had come in and slain everyone. That repulsive noblewoman he had placed the girl with had a habit of angering people whether she knew it or not and she was also among those who had been slain. It could be that she made an enemy that was actually powerful and they had taken revenge on her and her guests. Yes, perhaps that was it...

That hope was shattered as he searched the rest of the house. Everything had been torn to shreds but nothing more than the girl's room, and she was not there. He sensed that there had been others there as well though they were also missing. There was no blood in the room at all, no sign that anyone had been killed in here just a mess. The prisoner had destroyed her cage. But how had she done it? Delmorae knew that the poison had failed to kill her but she had been changed into a human! How could she possibly be herself again? There was no way she could have done it herself! No way! All the evidence said otherwise.

So she was back then. Delmorae smiled sinisterly instead of falling into fear. So what if she was a demon again, she would be weak now and no threat at all. She could not possibly harm him. He turned to his fireplace and uttered the command word. Flames sprung up excitedly in the previously cold marble. "My lord," he called respectfully. "I would speak with you if I may." A low rumble emitted from the fire that was clearly permission for him to speak. Delmorae swallowed hard at the voicing of his master. "We seemed to run into a small problem with our enemy. She is no longer a captive." Another rumble sounded but the wizard heard the words clearly.

"What do you mean she is no longer captive?" His master demanded.

Delmorae unconsciously took a step back from the fireplace. "She is no longer in the mansion and everyone in it is dead. Slain by her from what I have judged things correctly. The power around the place leaves me little doubt that she is the one who killed them. I know not how she did it my lord, but she is free and a demoness again."

"Find her!" His master roared. "Find her and kill her! You have failed me twice now wizard. Fail me again and you will be as dead as your former master. Remember that I gave you the power you have now and I can easily take it back." The flames in the fireplace went out abruptly, ending the conversation and scorching a small area of the thick carpet. Delmorae fell back into his armchair contemplating his next move. She likely had allies now, that was most likely how she escaped. But that would have meant someone broke the enchantment he had placed on the half drow so he could tell them. The wizard still believed that she was not so powerful. He would kill her this time, he just had to use more poison. Delmorae turned his head to gaze at the glowing purple liquid in the bottle sitting on one of his shelves. It would be enough he decided.

"Ahh, my dear assassin Kanashimi." The wizard purred wickedly. "You will fall this time." Satisfied with his plan the wizard went off to his sleeping chamber and to the latest young maiden that had been provided for him.

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Kitana let herself wake slowly. Little light filtered through the dirty window of the room she was in, where she was, was another question. She would have to find the others and ask them. They were here she knew, somewhere below her in the same building which was most likely some kind of inn. Kitana sat up cautiously in case there was a trap that was beyond her senses.

The demoness stared at her slender hand. Her claws were back fully now and her skin had become paler. Artemis' scent lingered in the room and had pooled in the chair that sat next to the bed she was in. He had been anxious for some time and sad though she knew he would never admit it. His scent also lay on the bed around her, had he been with her the entire time? Kitana shook her head trying to clear it, then realizing that she was naked, she stood pulling the blanket with her. Her armor sat neatly on a dresser on the other side of the room and was slightly damp. Again Artemis' scent lingered around it suggesting that he had been the one to undress her. She chose not to put her armor on and instead donned an oversized shirt that belonged to Artemis over her undergarments. There was likely no one in the inn that would complain of her state of undress. She carefully walked down the stairs barefoot and into the common room.

Jarlaxle noticed her first having looked up from his plate of food to apparently scan the room for threats. He smiled widely causing the others to look in her direction. The mercenary leader pulled out a chair for her as she got to them bidding her to sit and join them. No one said anything for a few moments as the companions looked over her changes. After a minute or so Kitana chuckled softly and said, "You guys want to stop staring at me and get me something to eat?" The companions snapped out of their over curious state and promptly did as she asked. Kitana stared at the food at first, it didn't look terribly good but she supposed she could not really complain. She wouldn't have to eat much after this anyway and if there was something wrong with it, it would likely not effect her at all. She sniffed at the steaming plate once just to be sure and then proceeded to eat her meal slowly. It didn't taste as bad as it looked but the demoness could tell that it wasn't made with the freshest ingredients. Kitana silently cursed her superior senses, the others were probably spared the over culmination of bitter flavors. She stopped after eating half of the large serving and looked up at the others who were staring at her again, this time in question. Artemis in particular looked more anxious than before. "I'm fine." Kitana stated evenly. "Where are we?"

Jarlaxle cleared his throat loudly hoping to break the awkward silence that had accumulated over the table. "We are in Waterdeep, an inn on the southern edge of the Docks Ward."

Kitana nodded and looked around the room. The crowd was familiar to her though not the one she was normally surrounded by. The noise was the same though, if not the place. No doubt there was more than one shady deal being made in this room and those beyond. Kitana looked over to Drizzt who was shuffling in his seat awkwardly and acknowledged him with a typical raised eyebrow.

"Where do we go from here?" he asked her hesitantly. "The one those wizards worked for likely knows by now that they are dead and you are no longer a prisoner. He will likely send someone after you." The ranger shifted in his seat again hoping that his stating of the obvious had not offended Kitana. The slaughter in the ballroom was still fresh in his mind. He didn't want to end up like those people. While Drizzt doubted Kitana would kill him for such a trivial thing, he feared that she would lose her temper on him and possibly the others. He was extremely relieved when she simply nodded her agreement.

"We will go to Calimport." She replied. "The wizard may indeed send someone after us, so why not strike at the source? I feel that there is more to this than him, however, and we must prepare for that as well."

"You do not believe he was behind all of this?" Jarlaxle asked calmly. He found that her logic was reasonable but looking at the other side of the possibilities, she could just as well be being paranoid. She had lived in a dark and dangerous world most of her life just like the rest of his companions and while one could never be too careful, one could never be completely sure either.

"I am certain he did not know my nature before I was attacked. I make it a point to hide what I am, thus I never used my real name and have always kept my appearance mostly hidden. I look enough like a half elf that most people just assume that I am. The fact that he had the right poison tells me that he must have had an outside source of information, he could not have acquired it himself and brewed it properly. Very few humans know how to make that poison and the plant it's made from cannot be found in the desert." Kitana pushed her plate out of the way and leaned on her elbows into the table. "I suspect that the wizard learned my nature the day I was attacked. When I was leaving the guild house he was looking at me strangely as though he could not believe something. Fortunately for us though, I know that there are a limited number of my enemies that know what I am."

Jarlaxle's head tilted lazily to the side. "So you think that one of those enemies is behind this." he stated.

"It would make sense. Though now, the question of 'which one' remains." Kitana shrugged and lifted her fork, absently pushing the decidedly poor food around the plate. "If we go to Calimport I'm sure we will find an answer to that question."

"To Calimport then." Jarlaxle replied. The others said nothing and the rest of the meal was finished in silence.

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Kitana climbed the stairs gracefully and perfectly silent as she went back to the room she was in before. She was well aware of the fact that Artemis was behind her though he made not a sound. She opened the door and stepped into the room with him following behind her. Artemis closed the door then wrapped his arms around her from behind burying his face in her hair. He didn't say anything, he just stood there with her in his arms pressing his body against hers gently almost like he was afraid she would break if he held her tighter. His fingertips wandered softly over her waist like she was fragile porcelain.

Kitana gave a small laugh. "I guess someone missed me." She turned around and clasped her hands behind his neck pulling him closer. His eyes said that there was something more he wanted to say but he had no idea how. Kitana ran her fingertips lightly over his lips. "Are you still going to sleep with me?" she whispered.

Artemis gave her a half smile, "If that is what you want." His arms wrapped tighter around her waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss that told her everything he was thinking even though he didn't know it. His fingers ran through her hair, letting out her braid then slipped down her shoulder and over her breast. His hand found its way to the buttons of the shirt she had borrowed from him and undid them deftly, without a second thought. The shirt dropped carelessly to the floor. They broke for air and Artemis gazed intently into her eyes. For a moment he looked like he was about to say something but he caught himself. His eyes widened briefly and he looked away.

Kitana's hand came up to caress his cheek. "Let's go to bed now." she whispered. "You look like you could use some good sleep." She took his hand and led him over to the bed and they laid down together still wrapped in each other's arms.

In the room down the hall the other their companions sat up still wide awake. The three drow stared at each other with uncertainty.

"Was this what you had in mind when you took the job in the first place?" the youngest of them asked a bit snidely. Drizzt realized his tone a second too late and looked up at his older counterpart, Jarlaxle, to see if it had an undesired effect. The mercenary leader, however, was staring at the floor blankly.

"Must we really go back to that horrible desert?" Kimmuriel spoke up for the first time that evening.

Jarlaxle looked up from the floor. "We will. We did take the job to watch over her if you recall. This is just another meaning of those circumstances. Beyond that, she is our friend, is she not?"

"She is." Drizzt put in eagerly. "As much as I dislike the idea of running so blindly into danger, I will if it helps Kitana."

"Indeed." Jarlaxle replied simply.

Kimmuriel sighed. He didn't like the idea of returning to the desert, but it seemed that he had no choice. He would go where Jarlaxle did because he needed Jarlaxle. The psionicist hated the idea of something happening to his former leader; he didn't want to be left with Bregan D'aerthe. "As you will." He said after several minutes of thinking. "I will raise no objections."

The mercenary leader nodded his approval. "We will leave in the morning then. There are no ships in the port right now so we will go to Baulder's Gate and take one from there if he are able. I cannot picture us walking to Calimport." His eyes glittered with amusement as though he was honestly considering the idea, his companions wouldn't put it past him.

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Delmorae smiled at his imp minion. "You have done well." he said to the beast. His master's enemy was coming to him, how delightful! He dismissed the imp without another word and turned to the fireplace once more calling to his master.

His master was not pleased with him still and was angered by his further interruption. "What is it now wizard?" his master demanded.

"I have information for you My Lord," Delmorae answered trying not to stutter. ""Our enemy is on her way here. I will have the proper chance to kill her once and for all!" The wizard fell back as his maser began to laugh seemingly without control.

"Good," his master said. Delmorae could almost hear the grin on his face. "Let her come to us without incident. When she arrives make sure to give her more poison than last time. I must have her dead."

Delmorae bowed deeply knowing his master could see his every gesture. "Of course Master. I will see to it and this time I shall not fail!"

On the other side of the fire a tall, dark looking pale man stood with a wide grin on his face. He was close to victory now he thought, but more importantly revenge. Yes, sweet revenge against that irritating little minx of a demoness. She had denied him before and had shredded his precious wings. He held no doubts about what the other dragons would say if they knew. He had to get revenge.

Perhaps if the wizard failed again he would go after her himself. His grin spread wider, then perhaps he could get what he had originally wanted from her. She would never submit to him, however, and he would have to take what he wanted. The idea was a tempting one. He dismissed the fire and went into his private chambers. "I will get you for that." he said to himself picturing her naked little body sprawled out on his bed before him quivering in pain, broken. How dare she deny him in the first place! He was a powerful dragon! A black dragon that had melted the armor and flesh or hundreds of paladins! He had more wealth than any of the other dragons in the region! Yet she had denied him. He growled loudly. "You will see you little wench. No one denies Moranosvae."

The dragon in mortal form stormed out of his sleeping chamber and into his treasure room. Perhaps his horde would put him in a better mood until the wizard either succeeded. Or failed. Moranosvae knew somehow that it would be the latter.


	13. Chapter 12: The Thing With Wizards

9/30/09

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and Co. at all so don't sue me because I'm dead broke. They are rightfully the property of R.A. Salvatore and the company people above him. Everyone else is or should be mine as is the fictional story I have created around them.

WARNING: This story contains: Foul language, violent ideas, violence, inappropriate situations/ideas, most likely inappropriate situations/ideas and religion bashing. If you do not like or approve of any of these things please stop reading this story before you become offended, should you continue if you don't like the latter you do so at your own risk.

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Chapter Twelve: The Thing About Wizards

The Dock Ward was crowded as usual. People of all parts and races of Faerun covered the streets in search of either ship passage, fortune or fine entertainment. Across the street from the companions some random adventurer bragged about his recent exploits, but it was only the typical 'I killed a hundred orcs in an hour' brag. The adventurer, who was obviously quite intoxicated, approached the companions brazenly and leaned himself against the building behind them facing Kitana.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doin' with a bunch of drow?" he asked severely slurring his words. "They takin' you prisoner or somethin'?" He sluggishly tired to make a grab at Kitana but overbalanced, fell forward and hit the wall. The man sloppily tried to straighten himself up and still look tough, Kitana and the others hid their laughter and she pulled out a dagger from the back of her belt.

"Don't touch me." She commanded the man at the point of her blade. Her voice had been soft but it was still forceful enough to make the man go rigid before her. "Get away from me." The man stumbled away mumbling to himself for a moment and then faced her again.

"Fine y-you lousy little bitch...I'll have you know I killed a-a thousand of those -those bastards. You wait -you want an' see wha' I can do. You wait..." He wandered off crashing into a crossing pedestrian in the process and slamming into the street. People passing offered nothing but small glances.

"I hate it when that happens." Kitana stated to none of her companions in particular. "This is exactly why I like going around at night better, those people know not to fuck with me."

Jarlaxle chuckled softly at her, "Can you really blame our drunken friend there? I'm sure I've told you many times that you are exceedingly beautiful. Even Artemis freely admits that. It must be near to impossible for someone in his state to resist."

"That doesn't make it any less annoying." Kitana replied flatly. "We've been looking for a ship to board all day and we haven't found anything. It's sunset and the captains wont leave after dark. We should decide on what to do now."

"We may have better luck here tomorrow morning." Drizzt offered. "We may be able to find some last minute accommodations then or even tonight in one of the taverns on Dock Street. Ship crews tend to herd into them in greater numbers before leaving and smart captains don't leave their crews alone just to make sure there is no trouble."

"But fewer people leave port in Baulder's Gate and we would have more of a chance, perhaps, of gaining board there. That could in turn make up for the couple days we would lose getting there."

Drizzt shook his head, for once disagreeing and correcting his companions. "But captains of Baulder's Gate are not so accommodating. They ask for large fees and often go back on deals regarding passage. Just as well, we would have an even harder time getting a ship there being that three of us are drow. Even my reputation wont help us there, we're better off here where the captains know and speak well of me."

Kitana stared into his eyes as if searching for something. He stared back just as evenly and concealing nothing including his amazement at her transformation. She was almost completely different now even though he knew she was the same person. Still, she seemed much more untrusting and weary of the companions she had come to know so well. The ranger wondered briefly what effect this had on Entreri whom he knew to be her lover having seen them together one night.

"Alright." she said finally. "We'll stay the night and see if we can get something. But if we don't get anything by tomorrow evening we go to Baulder's Gate. Personally, I don't really care how we get to Calimport. I just want to kill the wizard." The others nodded in agreement and they entered the nearest inn on the street.

The place was unsurprisingly crowded like the street had been but there were spare rooms, two of them. Drizzt mused that it was funny how often that was the case. This time however, Kitana took a room for herself and the others shared the other one. They knew they would not see her for the rest of the night. It was shortly before eleven before Drizzt found a captain willing to let them on and take them to Calimport, the news would be relayed to Kitana in the morning but for now the ranger had other things on his mind. He looked up from his glass of mulled red wine and to the assassin sitting opposite him at the table. Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel had left to procure some useful magical equipment from their coffers in Bregan D'aerthe's hideout. "How is this effecting you?" Drizzt asked Entreri softly.

The assassin looked up with a raised eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Drizzt warily bit his lip but decided to come clean. "I know about you and Kitana." he said simply. "I saw the two of you one night in the kitchen."

Entreri did not remove his gaze from the drow's face, somehow he sensed that there was more to what he was saying. He watched with a small bit of satisfaction when Drizzt swallowed hard and struggled to find the right words.

"I watched." He blurted. The ranger trembled in his seat wishing Entreri would stop staring at him like that.

"You watched."

Drizzt felt himself shrinking back into his chair. "I'm sorry...I just...I don't know why I stayed. I saw you and then I-" He slapped his hand over is mouth, embarrassed and realizing he had said far too much. His eyes were wide with fear and he wanted nothing more to flee from the room but he felt rooted to the spot, he couldn't move. Entreri said nothing, he just sat there staring. Drizzt cleared his throat loudly. "Excuse me." He got up and left the room as quickly as he could.

Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel chose to make themselves known at that moment. They watched Drizzt's flight curiously and slightly confused. "What was that about?" Jarlaxle asked.

Entreri shook his head. "I have no idea."

The rest of the night no one said a thing. In the morning they boarded the ship and the sea brought no more than a minor scuffle. Eight days later the deserts of Calimshan shifted beneath their feet. They were lucky and were able to have been let of in Calimport itself.

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"Master she is in the city." An underwizard said to Delmorae as he entered his room. "She is not alone."

Delmorae regarded him curiously and bade him to continue.

"She has three drow with her and..." The underwizard paused as though thinking of a different way to continue.

"And?" Delmorae pressed.

"Artemis Entreri."

Delmorae dismissed the underwizard and fell back into his chair. Things had just gotten much worse. "I will just have to kill them too." the wizard said to himself. He was reluctant to call on his master again knowing that he would be angry for yet another interruption. He pulled a book off of the table next to his chair and started to study. He would need all the spells he could have if he had any chance of winning the inevitable battle and pleasing his master.

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Kitana paced the room frustrated. No one on the street would speak but that was the usual case. She needed information on the wizard. At the moment, the demoness was waiting for the one person she knew would be able to tell her what she wanted to know. The others watched her from across the room still not knowing what to make of the situation. A grim darkness had fallen over her features, she had been angry before but now there was strange power behind it. Not even Jarlaxle could fully fathom this power, though admittedly, he did not fear it as much as he had back in the ballroom where it had been completely unbidden.

A small knock came at the door and a childish looking form stepped through. Dwahvel Tiggerwillies smiled up at the pacing Kitana uneasily. Kitana stopped and looked over at her and the parchment folder in her hand. The halfling sat down and motioned silently for the demoness to join her. Dwahvel examined her old acquaintance carefully. She had known Kitana for years and had worked for their mutual benefit many times. She was well aware of her counterpart's nature and reputation that was spoken of just as fearfully as the other assassin in the room. He looked just as uneasy.

Dwahvel set the folder down and slid it over to Kitana who opened it. "The wizard's name is Delmorae, no surname. He was the head wizard of House Del'amure of which the guildmaster was killed six and a half months ago. The wizard now leads the house. From what I've been able to gather he was of moderate talent before the take over and he still exhibits the same abilities. This makes me believe that he has someone more powerful backing him, there was no way he could have taken the guild by himself. Pasha Del'amure was too powerful for that."

Kitana nodded. "I have also come to that conclusion. No person, even a wizard, in Calimport would have been able to properly make that poison without knowing my nature and having help with it. It would have taken someone not of normal mortal abilities or a non-mortal being to get it right. I know of none in Calimport or Memnon."

"You would know." Dwahvel replied. "You do keep tabs on those certain enemies. Do you have any idea who it is then?"

"None yet. That's why I came to you."

The halfling leaned onto the small table, folding her hands and pressing her lips to them as was her normal thought sequence. "Did you not tell me once, that the herbs for those poisons must be harvested quickly and immediately put into a brew before they became useless?"

Kitana nodded again wondering what the halfling was getting at.

"The only place that those plants grow around here is on the Calimshan-Tethyr border. Whoever gave the wizard the poison would likely come from there, wouldn't they? The caves along the border would be perfect conditions for distillation."

The demoness's eyes widened. "I know who it is." What Dwahvel said made perfect sense and she only had one enemy in that particular area. He would be grounded to that place because she had destroyed his wings and he would have the ability and the knowledge to make the Demon's Bane potion. "Thank you my little friend, I owe you one." Kitana smiled warmly, bowed and left the room. The others made to follow but Dwahvel stopped Entreri with her hand on his.

"What has happened to her?" she asked the assassin.

"From the little she has told us, this wizard poisoned her and temporarily turned her human. We took a job out near Waterdeep for a noblewoman to watch her and keep her in check. From that point we learned that she was the real victim and we have been working with her ever since. She was returned to normal three days ago. But tell me Dwahvel, we know she is an assassin but we have been unable to determine which one. Who is she really?"

Dwahvel's uneasy smile returned, she took a deep breath not knowing what the consequences of revealing this would be. But then she figured that if Kitana didn't want them to know anything, she would not be working with them. "Kitana Bonicia." she said. "More commonly known as the assassin Kanashimi." She let Entreri's hand go and they left without another word.

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Memories washed over her as she walked the city streets. They were exactly the same as they were six months ago save for a few people. Her dreams had proven perfectly accurate as to the location of the guild house. And its security. Kitana moved as silently as a shadow to the back of the building where a tall, dilapidated ladder hung off the wall. Kitana eyed it thoroughly seeking any weakness. She tested it, pulling down on it lightly. Her small weight would not effect it, the others however, would have to find a different point of entry. Kitana turned to Entreri. "Do you think you could go in posing to be looking for work?"

The assassin's head tilted to the side. "With these three?"

"Say that they're your partners. I would imagine that he would be eager to have three drow on his side."

"What if he knows we are here?"

"Then keep him busy for me so I can sneak in. He will likely pretend not to know we are working together thinking he had an advantage. Wizards do like to brag 'superior intelligence'."

Entreri studied her for a few moments before deciding that she knew exactly what she was doing. He wondered how long she had been an assassin. "Alright." he agreed. "We will go in as you say. He likely already knows we're together." He left the alley with the others behind him still not saying a word. They were admitted into the building without a problem further putting them on edge.

They followed a house soldier through the richly decorated hallways. Portraits of the wizard hung everywhere they could see, some depicting him with a dark, dragon shaped figure behind him. The soldier stopped at a set of high double doors, they opened and they were motioned inside. A wizard in deep red, jewel covered robes stood before them attempting to look noble and impressive. "Gentlemen." he said richly. "It is an honor to have you in my house. It is not often that I have such distinguished guests. Do sit down and we will talk business." It was easily obvious to the them that the wizard knew them and their acquaintance to Kitana. They did as the wizard said and sat down across from him at the dark hardwood desk. "How may I help you gentlemen?"

"We are looking for some work." Entreri stated evenly.

Delmorae smiled cruelly. "As a matter of fact, I think I have the perfect job for you." Entreri inclined his head. "I have an enemy that is recently back in the city and I would like her eliminated. She is an assassin like yourself, and very dangerous. Do you know her?"

"Perhaps. But there are many female assassins in Calimport. Which one is it specifically?"

The wizard's smile widened. "Oh, I think you know. You are traveling with her after all. Do not deny it, I have been watching you."

"Well if you already know that there's no point in keeping myself secret, is there?" a cold, purring female voice said from behind the wizard. Delmorae sat up rigidly in his chair not daring to turn around. Kitana sauntered around his chair and the desk to face him. "Tell me, is Moranosvae still crying about his wings?"

"How dare you speak the name of my master!" Delmorae spat as he stood angrily. "I will kill you foolish witch! Your head will be given on a-"

"Silver platter to your master?" Kitana interrupted. "Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. How about we just start the fight so I can kill you?" Kitana's hand was already on the handle of her whip and she was drawing it. Her other hand was empty and she flexed her claws. Delmorae fell back into his chair terrified. She smiled and continued in a mocking tone, "What's the matter, wizard? Cat got your tongue? But that's the thing with your kind, isn't it? Strike from a distance but up close you are nothing but a weak little man. You should have known this was going to happen."

Delmorae uttered a quick spell and a bottle with dark purple liquid appeared in his hand. "I'll just poison you again you wretched bitch! You can't possibly survive another dose!"

Kitana's smile spread evilly. "By all means, wizard. Do it. See what happens."

The wizard was momentarily put off by her statement but grimaced and opened the bottle, he threw it at her. It sizzled lightly but had no other outwardly noticed effect. Kitana started to laugh. "Oh the pain!" she said. "Isn't there. Fool, those poisons are a one shot deal, if it didn't kill me the first time it will never work on me." She shook the liquid off and her whip cracked once. The wizard fell dead in his chair. "Well that was easy." she said off handedly.

"Where do we go from here?" Entreri asked.

"The border, his master lives in a cavern just within the Calimshan side."

"Let's go then. Maybe we can surprise him."


	14. Chapter 13:What If I Love You?

10/4/09

A/N: The story is almost complete, but fear not! I am already working on the sequel. I hope you enjoyed this because it's not going to last much longer. But for now demoness vs. dragon battle! Yay violence!

Disclaimer: I do not own Drizzt and co. as I have said many, many times before and I never will. I'm not going to steal then I'm just putting them in various situations for my own entertainment. My characters are: Kitana, Hitori, Moranosvae and everyone I mentioned before but I already killed.

Warning: This story includes- Violent ideas, violence, foul language, religion bashing and a bunch of other stuff that I said before that will not be in this chapter. If you do not like these or those previously mentioned I don't understand why you are even at this chapter. But have a good day and do enjoy yourself.

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Chapter Thirteen: "What if I love you?"

Small insects swarmed in large clouds around the companions, the incessant buzzing near driving them mad. The wind had all but stopped therefore offering them no reprieve from the annoying little things that found them to be a delightful treat. Only Kitana seemed to not be covered in whatever these insects were. Another loud slap caught her attention enough for her to actually turn around and see which one it was this time. Kimmuriel stood behind the others furiously scratching at one of many small bites that covered his ebony skin. He glared up at her still scratching. "How much longer until we reach this border you spoke of?" he demanded.

She raised an eyebrow but her stance softened as she took note of the severity of his bites, the insects seemed to have taken a special liking to him. "Not much longer." she replied eying a few gouges on his arm that were just starting to bleed. "Half an hour at most and stop scratching those, you're only making them worse. Here." she added as she handed him a small jar from her belt pouch. It contained a white, strange smelling cream which the psionicist knew enough to rub on his bites. Much to his surprise the itching stopped almost instantly.

"Why could we not have just used one of my doors?" he asked after he finished inspecting himself.

"Because you don't know where we're going."

Kimmuriel scowled but gave in, she was right of course. With any luck, if he tried, they would end up in some random mysterious place that he would not be able to get them out of. "How much longer until we find this enemy of yours?" he replied sourly.

Much to his dismay, Kitana simply shrugged. "Once we get to the border there will be several hundred caves to look in. Fortunately I will be able to smell him when we get there so you really have nothing to worry about. However I think it would be wise for all of you to get some rest when we get to the border, he didn't have many followers the last time I battled him but it has been almost forty years since then so we cannot know if it is the same."

"What exactly are we supposed to do against this enemy of yours?" Jarlaxle inquired. "All we know is his name and that he, at one point, had wings. Is he some sort of demon or and archangel perhaps?"

Kitana laughed. "No." she said, "He's a dragon. A black dragon." She laughed again at the others' slightly paled faces. "But don't worry about Morae, I can handle him myself. There are two more wizards that I want you to take care of, they are likely in the cave with him."

Entreri let out a disgruntled sigh. "Wizards and dragons." he said flatly. "Why is it _always_ wizards and dragons? I should just stop traveling with _you_." He continued accusingly, turning to Jarlaxle.

The mercenary looked up at him curiously. "How is it my fault?" he asked innocently. The assassin just glared at him and continued on towards the border. The others quickly fell into step behind him.

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Sunset was falling over the edge of the desert by the time they reached the border. As Kitana had promised, it had only taken half an hour once they got back on track. The air was cooler here and offered the much needed relief from the swarms that had bombarded them earlier. A slow wind whistled through the cavernous wasteland, bare except for a large number of caves and a few stunted trees. The companions could see an increase of foliage several miles ahead in Tethyr but ignored it for the moment, their business was in Calimshan.

Kitana led them down into a ravine by way of a narrow path she had discovered long ago. The landscape was much the same as it had been forty years ago, like the rest of the country, nothing much changed here. She could sense Moranosvae within a few miles of their current position, finding him would not take much. Likely he was sending out his energy for her to follow. Kitana found a shallow cave for her and her companions to shelter in for the next couple of hours. After she returned with a small pile of sticks she made a fire and they all sat down around it. Nothing was said as the others ate their small meal. The companions stared at Kitana still trying to figure out the extent of her change. She didn't need to sleep, she had explained on the ship from Waterdeep. She didn't need to eat, though she would if she wanted to. She was much stronger than them, though she did not tell them the exact difference. Her senses were much sharper, to her even the darkest night could seem like day. She could catch the scent of specific targets from miles off provided that there was not too much conglomeration. But what did it all mean, they all silently wondered.

The companions let themselves rest, albeit uneasily. Kitana stared off into the sapphire and diamond sky.

Kitana woke them after three hours and patiently allowed them time to ready themselves. She herself had dozed off for maybe ten minutes. The night was full now but no one had any trouble navigating. Kitana led them easily through the ravine, if her memory still proved correct, Moranosvae's cave lay at the very end. Typical for a dragon really, an obvious hard to get to place. Many adventurers would be lucky just to get into the ravine unscathed, but then, Kitana and her companions were not ordinary adventurers. Kitana cautiously sniffed the incoming wind for any sign of danger. Nothing lurked about them, the area was uncommonly still. She chose to take that as a good sign though it likely meant that the dragon had commanded the area's inhabitants to leave her alone. It had been much the same forty years ago.

She had been traveling through the area hoping to pass unnoticed into Tethyr for an assassination job. The demoness had known then of Moranosvae's interest in her for he had frequently sent her invitations to his cave. The invitations had spoken of possible future business arrangements, a guise for what he really wanted. Thus, when she had to pass through his territory he had been delighted and had sought her out. Wanting to be rid of him she accepted his invitation to a small dinner in his cave. The meal itself went well enough, he told many tales of his past hoping to impress her into his bed. However, when he came to realize that she had no interest in him, he became furious.

Kitana remembered asking him why he was so surprised. She had ignored all of his letters for a reason. This further angered him and he changed form hoping to force her into giving him what he wanted. Still unimpressed, she had merely launched herself into the air and attacked him. His wings had shredded like parchment under the power of her claws. He was forced to return to his smaller human form bleeding profusely and cursing her. She struck him twice with her whip, scarring him further and left not caring if he lived or died. She found upon her return through the area that he had indeed lived, though then he made no attempt to get revenge. His current attempt was laughable at best. Kitana was not surprised that it had taken him all this time to concoct his 'master plan.' She was sure he knew by now that Delmorae was dead and wondered if he had prepared for that event.

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Moranosvae watched through his scrying crystal eagerly awaiting the moment Kitana would come to his cave. He had better plans for her this time. The dragon had guessed that if the first poison failed to kill her it would not work again. But there were different types of Demon's Bane as it was so generically named, still it was true enough. Moranosvae looked over to the table behind him. A single bottle and two wine classes were all that adorned it, the dragon smiled, she would never know. He knew she would likely share the wine in effort to mock him then attempt to kill him for his attempt on her.

But he wasn't planning on killing her, no now at least. He had made the cure that went with the poison. The dragon planned to poison her, have his way after bribing her with the cure and then poison her again. She was going to pay for what she had done to his wings, for ever denying him in the first place.

Of the others, Moranosvae thought little for he figured them a small threat. Still, they could be good bait against her. Torture her more with the lives of those she had let get close. It was a shame he had not been able to find the half drow, he would have been priceless. He thought briefly of trying to locate him again but then decided against it. Moranosvae turned back to his crystal, he didn't have much time left before she arrived. Perhaps once he had her he would look again, another twist of the knife as the demoness liked to say.

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The cave loomed high above them, though the entrance did not at all look large enough for a dragon to fit through, not even a young one. Kitana explained this off by informing them that Moranosvae used his human form to go in and out. Not that he really used his true form anymore. It was, after all, a huge shame for a dragon to have its wings torn off by a non-dragon. If any other dragons found out about or saw the state of his wings he would be laughed at and likely condemned to a human form for the rest of his life.

"He doesn't need to worry about that though." Kitana stated. "I'm going to kill him tonight."

"You are sure you can take on a dragon by yourself?" Drizzt asked still feeling a bit worried for her.

"I did before, didn't I?" she returned. "Don't worry so much, I'll be fine. I have an idea of what he's going to try and I already took several precautions against it. I've already prepared my means of killing him, which really shouldn't be all that difficult. It'd be easy even if I didn't have a plan, look what I did to him last time."

Her unwavering confidence was hard to dismiss and the fact that she did indeed have a plan comforted the companions somewhat.

"You are certain you plan will work?" Entreri asked. He was more than concerned for her. He had spent long hours trying to convince himself that he really couldn't feel anything more for her than friendship even if they were lovers. Or had been. The assassin was still unsure of that particular status. But he was wrong and he knew it, there was more. Somehow, he had fallen again, only this time it didn't bother him so much. He just didn't want to say it out loud. What if she hated him for it?

After Kitana had made sure there were no traps, mechanical or magical, she motioned them to follow her inside. The entire cave was silent as far as the companions could tell, there wasn't even the normal sound of dripping water. Kitana seemed completely unhindered by the lack of noise and strode evenly down what could be called a natural corridor.

It ended in a large cavern which was heavily decorated and random piles of gold lay strewn about. A small table sat purposely in the middle of the room and its single occupant sat at it with two poured glasses of some kind of wine. "Kitana." he said. "How good to see you again. Why don't you join me?"

The demoness smirked, "And why would I do that Morae? You should of course know that I've come here to kill you."

"You're still so beautiful when you're angry." the dragon purred swirling the wine in his glass. "I do enjoy it and I enjoy your pet name for me as well, the way it simply falls from you lips though you speak to me in contempt. Perhaps, we can come to some kind of agreement."

"I doubt that." Kitana snorted. She looked quickly around the room searching for hidden foes.

"Looking for the wizards?" Moranosvae observed. "Don't worry my darling, I have already taken care of them for you. They do get quite irritating. But you already knew that. The way you killed that fool Delmorae was most excellent by the way. I could not have done better myself. Now please, my dear, sit down."

The sound of muffled cries came from behind Kitana, she spun around to see that her companions were now entangled by some form of slippery black tentacles. She turned her gaze back to Moranosvae who was smiling callously.

"We can't have them getting in the way of our date." he explained tartly. He grinned widely when the demoness finally crossed the room and lounged easily into the chair he had provided for her. "Why don't you try the wine?" he suggested. "Let's make a deal."

"I already know what you want." Kitana replied flatly, her expression cold. "You can't have it." She sniffed the wine as if exploring the flavor and noted a sharp scent about it. The dragon had done exactly as she knew he would, too bad for him she had experienced this particular poison before. Not that he needed to know. She sipped the wine delicately, hiding her smirk as an eager light reached his eyes.

"Do you like it?" he asked a bit too expectantly. He licked his lips in anticipation.

"It's a bit dry." she commented.

Moranosvae chuckled softly. "I would imagine. But that does tent to be an effect of poison doesn't it?" All eyes except for Kitana's went wide in shock. The companions struggled more furiously against their bindings but to no avail. The tentacles only held them tighter.

"So it does." Kitana replied softly still not giving away that the poison was having no effect. She watched indifferently as the dragon stood and came over to her. Her gently lifted her face to his and made to kiss her.

"You are going to pay dearly for what you have done to me." he stated calmly. "I will have what I want." His lips would have met hers except that as he closed in her fist met his belly and he was thrown across the room. He hit the wall with a loud thud and crumbled to the floor. Moranosvae winced as he stood, she had managed to break one of his ribs with that single hit. He noted now, clearly surprised, that she was much stronger than she had been forty years ago. He slapped himself mentally, he should have known. But it didn't matter his poison was flowing through her veins, she would not last long.

Kitana rose from the chair and tilted her head to the side, "I'm sorry, did that hurt?" she asked in an innocent tone.

He growled loudly. "It doesn't matter. In but moments you will be on the floor begging for mercy, it is not the same poison from before my darling. This one will have you. I will have you!"

"Fool!" Kitana declared laughing. "Your poison has no effect. It's a variant of the one from before and I am already immune to it. You, however, are not immune to mine." She watched with more than a little satisfaction as the dragon's eyes went wide with fear. His hand went to the now visible wound on his torso.

"You! I'll get you!" Moranosvae roared. A current of wind from nowhere rose in the cavern with a violent gale. Moranosvae roared again as his form shifted and stretched creating the shape that had been in the backgrounds of the wizard Delmorae's portraits. His wings were skeletal and warped beyond any use. "You may have taken my wings you little wretch but you cannot defeat me." The black dragon inhaled sharply. Then faltered.

"What's the matter Moranosvae? Aren't you going to try to melt me with your bad breath?" Kitana chided. "Or do you need a little more incentive?" Kitana leapt into the air with her claws pointed out like daggers. They sliced easily against the weakened flesh of her enemy and adding more poison with the impact. While the others had been sleeping she had made a poison of her own, one she had prepared just for dragons. She had brushed it onto her claws and though it had been applied a few house ago, it had been reawakened with the dragons blood casing a sinister reaction. Moranosvae could not use his breath against her and the more he fought the weaker he became. He was effectively wasting away from the inside at the moment.

She easily dodged as he lunged at her, hoping to catch her in his mouth and tear her to shreds. "Alright." she said as she landed on his arm. "If that's how you want to play. Eat me!" She laughed as he obliged her dare, foolishly. His wide toothed maw attempted to close over her but she struck the fleshy inside of his mouth and then rolled away. Moranosvae's head reared back as he roared in pain, black waves of energy wrapped around him and he was forced back into his human form.

He lay moaning on the floor in a pool of his blood. He tried to crawl away as she steadily approached. Moranosvae sensed that his other spell had just failed. The demoness's friends were walking in alongside her. "Please...please don't kill me!" he begged. "I was a fool! A fool to ever move against you!" He tried moving again but failed utterly. "Please don't kill me." he tried again completely pitiful.

"Sorry Morae." Kitana said coldly. "What's done is done. I will not allow you to live this time." She kicked him up off the floor and her hand dug into his chest. He screamed one final time in agony as his heart was torn from his body. Kitana simply dropped him and left him where he fell. "Take whatever you want." she said turning to her companions. "I'm sure he's got quite a bit lying around here."

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After the lair had been raided and the companions had taken their fill of treasure Kitana bade Kimmuriel to return them to Waterdeep. They arrived behind the last inn they had stayed. Together they left the alley choosing to board in a different place. The rain was keeping most people indoors so the slick streets were empty of the usual liveliness.

One figure caught their attention immediately for she approached them. She pulled back the hood of her lavender cloak revealing that she was an elf. "I thought I'd find you here." she exclaimed happily. "You are very difficult to keep up with Kitana."

"Who are you?" the demoness asked cautiously, her hand going to her whip.

"Oh don't worry about me." The elfmaid laughed. "I'm not interested in hurting you. Actually, I was wondering if you would work for me."

"Since when do elves other than the Serpent and drow need assassins?" Kitana replied flatly.

The elfmaid laughed again. "I'm not interested in your skills as an assassin. You have many other abilities that I could benefit from, though of course you would receive an equal share of the profits." She said the word 'profits' with more than a little delighted ring.

"You're a mercenary." Kitana said.

"I run my own organization." the elfmaid confirmed. "I would just love to have someone of your caliber working for me. Your friends are invited as well."

Kitana raised an eyebrow, there was something a little too familiar about this elfmaid. She resisted the urge to look behind herself and see if Jarlaxle was still standing there. She knew he was without having to though. "Who are you, and what is this organization of yours called?"

The elfmaid's smile widened. "The Devious Angels. Originally it was the same name in elven but most of the members couldn't pronounce the words correctly so I changed it to the Common tongue." She replied answering the second question first. "As for me, just call me Silver."

It took Kitana a moment to process the fastly spoken words. This one was a talker. "I'll think about it." Kitana said to her nonchalantly. Saying that was most likely a bad idea but she wanted to be rid of this annoying elf quickly.

The elfmaid let out a delighted squeal. "Very good!" She turned and vanished without another word.

Kitana and the others chose not to comment as they too left the alley. They stepped into the inn across the street and were miraculously awarded four rooms. Entreri fell into step behind Kitana silently asking if they were going to share. She gave no signs of rejecting him so he stayed.

"I have an odd question for you." he said after the door was closed. She looked up at him waiting for him to continue. "Do demons have the same feelings as humans?" he obliged hesitantly. The assassin had no real idea what he was getting at by asking her that question but he could not think of anything else to say at the moment. Kitana's head tilted to the side as if she was having a hard time understanding what he had said. "I mean like sadness, anger or-"

Kitana gave him a half smile. "Love?" she finished for him. He swallowed hard and nodded. "We have all the same feelings as humans and all of the other mortal races. Most of us don't usually act on them unless it's anger or maybe greed. I personally don't think too much of it."

"So it's possible for a demon to fall in love with a human?" Entreri continued.

"It happens. Actually, the most powerful of the dog demons is currently mated to a human, though their son leaves much to be expected. More frequently it's the human that falls in love with the demon. Again, I haven't had much use for the love thing. I can't exactly say that I've met many humans or otherwise mortals I would want to fall in love with. I guess that's just a side effect of killing for a living."

Entreri's eyes widened. "How long have you been an assassin?" he asked hoping to remove the growing feeling of awkwardness.

Kitana shrugged. "Eighty years, give or take a few." She stood there still looking at him curiously as though she knew there was something he still wanted to say. He crossed the room and took her in his arms, holding her close like he had missed.

"Do you know," he whispered as he buried his face into her neck, "that we haven't been together since that last time in your grandmother's house?"

She laughed softly as she reached her arms around him. "That house was actually mine. But yes, I do know that." He shifted his position and once again lifted his face to meet hers.

He was about to kiss her again but for the fact that everyone's favorite mercenary chose to loudly enter their room at that moment. "Look who we found!" Jarlaxle declared. He motioned to Hitori who followed noiselessly behind him. The half drow gave the two assassins a silent apology as Jarlaxle began to describe how he and the others had run into him. When Jarlaxle finally quieted, Hitori stepped forward and took Kitana into his arms.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't help you this time." He whispered.

Kitana's eyes widened and she stared up at him incredulously. "Couldn't help me? Hitori, if it wasn't for you I would still be stuck as a human. You've done more than enough, my friend, believe me." She pushed him out to arms length and continued. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came here looking for you. I figured you would find an out of the way place to stay after you killed the dragon. I asked a few well placed questions and they led me here." Hitori replied. He chewed his lip slightly as though he was hiding something.

"Hitori." Kitana pressed. "What more is there?"

The half drow cleared his throat loudly. "Why don't we go downstairs for a drink? It's been a while since I've seen you."


End file.
